Gensel Moves to Second All-Time in 5k

After waiting two years due to the pandemic's disruption to community college athletics, Isaac Gensel can now say he is the second fastest 5000m perfomer in Hartnell College history. Running at the largely four year university competition, the Monterey High School graduate covered the twelve and a half laps in 14:37.36. This was an improvement down from his 14:49.25 he ran on March 13 at the Oxy Distance Carnival. Gensel now only trails multiple state champion Diego Leon who ran 14:26.65 in 2015. The mark moves Gensel back into the top spot in Northern California and third in the state setting up a potential matchup with the fall cross country champion Daniel Abdala for the title. 

Running in the 800 meters on Friday, Esteban Deniz posted a lifetime best 1:55.08. This mark moved him into the top 20 all-time at Hartnell College and within shot of his older brother and state champion Eduardo Orozco's 1:52.99. Deniz is now ranked fifth in Northern California in the 800 meters and first in the Coast Conference. He also ran 4:02.69 in the 1500 meters on Thursday. Francisco Maciel ran a tough double on Friday posting a lifetime best 1500m in 4:02.33 and then a couple of hours later posting his second fastest 5000m at 15:03.04. Gensel also competed at 800 meters running his second fastest time ever in 1:57.23. Arturo Ponce punched his post-conference ticket with his third ever sub 2:00 clocking at 1:59.72. Isael Estrada ran a lifetime best 2:02.64. Daniel Pantoja improved on his provisional 5000m to 15:50.69. Ricky Diaz III was 15:47.12. 

In non-distance races, Jesse Mandujano had a breakthrough at 400 meters. He was timed at 50.74 and 0.05 under the Norcal Provisional mark he was chasing. Ramon Duran ran a season best 400mIH in 1:00.21. Eduardo Martinez ran his second best 400mIH (64.29). Zachary Sims competed in the long jump (6.19m). 

The Panthers will compete Tuesday, April 5th at home against conference rival DeAnza College.