Sprint relay team breaks 26-year old Chapman record

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Chapman University women's 1600-meter sprint relay team broke a 26-year old school record on Saturday, completing the event in 4:40.41 at the Claremont Rossi Relays. The team of freshman Rose Fruci, senior Anne Portwood, sophomore Peyton Collins and senior Wendy Belanger bested the previous record of 4:46.05 (set in 1985) by more than five and a half seconds.

Fruci and Portwood each ran 200-meter sprints in the first two legs of the race, followed by Collins who ran the 400 meters. Belanger ran the anchor leg of 800 meters to clinch the record. The Panthers placed 10th of 16 teams in the event, including finishing second in their heat – ahead of SCIAC rivals La Verne, Occidental, Caltech and Redlands. Claremont was the only Division III team to place higher than Chapman.

In addition, two Panthers also recorded personal bests in their individual events. Senior distance runner Kirsten Moore shaved her time in the 3000 meters to 12:34.28 and freshman long jumper Ema Solarova placed 22nd of 33 participants in the event with a career-best jump of 4.48 meters.

Chapman will have to wait a month before hitting the track again. The Panthers next meet is scheduled for March 26-27 at the Cal-Nevada Championships in Claremont.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Results: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wtrack/2010-11/files/CMSRossiRelays.htm