Heslop nearly pulls of one-of-a-kind sprint triple at NJ's Meet of Champions

By John Nepolitan of DyeStat

PHOTO GALLERY | RESULTS

In prior years at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, the sprint events consisted of only the 55 meters and the 400.  This year the NJSIAA added a Showcase 200 (and 4x800) with athletes qualifying by time (top 24) instead of through the normal sectional and group championships.

Mario Heslop (Franklin) was looking to make history and sweep all three of the sprint events (55-200-400) as well as become just the second in meet history to take the 55 and 400 titles in the same meet. The biggest obstacle was the schedule. All three events were compressed within 90 minutes.

Heslop won the 400 with a swift 48.71 on the Toms River flat track and then posted the fastest 55 qualifying time at 6.42. 

With only three sections of the 800 and four sections of the 200 to rest, Heslop ran 21.75 to claim the 200. And then, with just the 55 hurdles final on the schedule prior to the 55 final, Heslop had very little time to rest. 

In the sprint final, Gabriel Nash of Elizabeth edged out Heslop, 6.42 to 6.45.

Luis Peralta (Passaic) sat in perfect position for the first three laps of the 800 before kicking away from the field for a US#6 1:54.54 win.

Drew Maher (Shore Regional) led wire to wire to take gold in the 1,600 in a US#3 4:11.83.  

Devin Hart of Point Pleasant Boro, knowing he would need to run faster than his previous best of 9:10 to make the fast section of the New Balance Nationals Indoor 2-mile, went right to the front and and pressed for a solo US#3 9:06.11. Hart is the New Balance Outdoor 2-mile champion and the New Jersey MOC cross country champion.

Hart was not the only winner from Point Pleasant Boro, as Matt Tomaino took the wheelchair 200.

CJ Licata of Gill St Bernard's, already ranked US#4 in the shot put, dominated the event and was the only thrower over 60 feet. He threw 62-7.75.

GIRLS RECAP