This weekend marks the return of the Dartmouth Relays, a large and prestigious meet held annually to kick off the Dartmouth indoor track season. Over 3,000 athletes are expected to attend, competing in high school, college and open divisions during the three-day event.
In addition to providing an opportunity for the men's and women's track teams to return to competition following the holiday break, the Relays are used by some of the top international competitors and Olympic hopefuls to launch their indoor seasons.
Pamela Dukes, a former NCAA Champion shot putter and 1992 Olympian will be joined by LaVonna Martin Floreal, a silver medalist in the hurdles at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
Because the Relays are a Olympic trials qualifying meet, the event will also boast several of the top U.S. competitors, especially in the women's pole vault, which is to be a new event in both the Relays and the Olympics.
Former Dartmouth standout Sam Wilbur '94 is training for the Olympic trials and will be one to watch in the 5,000 meters on Sunday.
After watching coaches Barry Harwick, Sandra Ford-Centonze, Carl Wallin, Ellen O'Neil and Ted FitzPatrick '95 compete in various events over the weekend, the Big Green men and women will take over on Sunday, looking to get themselves back into top form. The meet is not team scoring, so individual performances will take greater priority.
Men's Captain Jack Dwyer '96 said the team stayed on top of its workouts while at home during the break.
"We just wanted to be in pretty good shape so that when we came back we could push our teammates," Dwyer said. "This weekend we are racing to get a good effort in."
Maribel Sanchez '96, who finished 16th at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships last fall in Iowa, is optimistic about the upcoming season.
"I think that we have a very good chance of winning the Heps," Sanchez said. "I think that we have a pretty good team in the distance runners, sprinters and throwers combined."
Both teams are looking to build upon the strong seasons of the cross country teams. Both the men and women won the Heptagonals last November and in the NCAAs the women placed 11th and the men were 16th.
Most of the distance runners are not scheduled to race this weekend, but co-Captain Amy Winchester '96 will be joined by a strong group of teammates in the throws, and several jumpers and sprinters figure to have strong weekends as well.
Lauren Newton '98 will start the team off on Friday in the Pentathlon, and Pilar Rodriguez '97 will bring experience to the long and triple jump events.
Dwyer, Don Conrad '99, and Chris Langan '96 should help lead the distance events for the men, while Alex Ghanotakis '97 will be a force in the weight events. The Big Green also boasts a strong crew of sprinters, jumpers and pole vaulters.
Action will begin Friday in the masters division. High school events will take place Saturday, and Sunday will feature college and open division competition.
