LYNCHBURG, Va. — FIU's women's track and field program notched program-records with a third place finish, eight total medals and 89 overall points at the Conference USA (CUSA) Indoor Championships.
The Panthers' record-breaking performance featured four golds, three silvers and a bronze over two days on Friday and Saturday, competing at the CUSA Championships, hosted by Liberty. Michaelle Valentin (Weight Throw), Nicole Janse Van Rensburg (Pole Vault) and Danielle McGonigle (Triple Jump) claimed the top spots in their respective events.
Luca Keszthelyi was also a gold medalist as the Panthers completed an impressive sweep of the top three spots in the high jump. Amaya Bien-Aime and Gabrielle Flores took silver and bronze, respectively, back to the 305. Luciana Gomez Iriondo (Pole Vault) and Lisa Redlinger (3000m) delivered silver-winning performances to round out FIU's medalists. As a team, the Panthers' 89 total points placed them third, the highest-ever at an indoor championships event for FIU's women.
Valentin produced a throw of 20.95 meters in the weight throw, .85 meters clear of the second-place finisher. This is the first gold of her career in this event, having won second in each of her last three seasons. Janse Van Rensburg racked up her third-straight gold in the pole vault, clearing a height of 4.15 meters.
The Panthers went one-two in the pole vault as Luciana Gomez Iriondo delivered a personal-best mark of 4.15 m as well, but Janse Van Rensburg had more successful attempts overall. The trio of Valentin, Gomez Iriondo and Janse Van Rensburg all medaled Friday as FIU sat second after the opening day.
Amazingly, Keszthelyi, Bien-Aime and Flores all lept over the same height, 1.74 meters, cleaning the meet's top mark. Redlinger ran a 9:31.09 in the 3000 meters to pick up her first FIU medal.
UP NEXT
A select group of FIU's competitors will go the NCAA's Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Va., March 15-16.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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