Salazar Retakes State Lead at Wildcat Cup

The annual Chico Wildcat Cup brings together California Community College programs that have close ties the strong track & field tradition at NCAA DII Chico State. Participating programs Cuesta College, Chabot College, Hartnell College, Modesto College, Yuba College, and Santa Rosa College are all lead by former Chico State alums. Last year's friendly team competition was won by Hartnell College for the women and Santa Rosa Junior College for the men. The Panther men would finally bring home their first Wildcat Cup in the 2020 edition hosted Friday by Cuesta College. The women placed fifth behind first time winner Modesto Junior College but did have an event winner in Daniela Salazar. 

Running for just the third time in the 1500 meters while at Hartnell College, Daniela Salazar produced the eighth fastest time in program history. She now sits behind former Northern California 5000 meter champion and 18:08 performer Victoria Alcala. Salazar took the lead from the gun and ran nearly even first and second half split on the way to a time of 4:48.67. The mark took nearly seven seconds off her early performance set on February 22nd and is the same margin ahead of the second best performance in the region and state. She's the first female to reach the state automatic qualifying mark for the metric mile. Also improving at 1500 meters was freshman Valeria Gomez-Lozano who dipped under the five minute mark and now holds the third best performance in the region. The 5:07 1600 meter performer last year is inching her way back to that fitness with her 4:59.66. Mariah Changco qualified provisionally in the event as well in her first attempt at 5:18.51. Gomez-Lozano came back to placed second in the 3000 meters eclipsing the eleven minute mark (10:55.68) followed by Salazar (10:56.47) and Isabelle Torres (10:59.05). Gerilynn Omictin placed second in the 100 meters in 13.03 with teammate Gabriella Partible improved at 13.51. Omictin was 27.93 and Partible a season best 28.25 in the 200 meters. The pair along with Shaelynne Smith and frosh Andrea Villalobos improved in the 4x100 meter relay (51.64). Smith added three important marks toward her return in the heptathlon. She put the shot to a personal best 8.06m, season best in the javelin (21.34m), and debut in the 100m hurdles (16.99). Sophomore Stephanie Politron bettered the regional provisional mark in the discus with a toss of 32.89m. Joanna Macias and Mia Corona lowered their 3000 meter times in preparation for faster 5k races in coming weeks. Macias (11:34.17) was seventh and Corona (12:32.06). In between saw the 3k distance debut of Faith Mora (11:49.94) and all-region/all-state cross country runner Shantal Martinez (11:54.50). 

The Panthers will go south to kick off spring break at the Occidental College Spring Break Distance Carnival and Invitational on Saturday, March 14th.