Former Journal scribe Bob Leddy provides this report on some outstanding performances by local track and field athletes over the weekend:

Three Rhode Island track records were broken over the weekend - and another established - at the Nike National Championships in Greensboro, N.C. A total of seven local athletes made the Nike All-American team.

In the boys’ 5,000 meters, Westerly’s Andrew Springer finished third in a record-time of 14 minutes, 56.46 seconds. The Hope High boys’ 4x200 relay broke 21-year-old state record in that event, with Matt Washington, Kevin Morgan, Tamba Benjamin and Darnell Freeman doing the honors in 1:29.81. Benjamin, Morgan, Freeman and Revelino Da,Veiga combined to clock a 1:41.54 in the boys’ 800-meter sprint medley, which establishes a state mark.

In the girls’ 800-meter sprint medley relay, La Salle finished fourth in a state and New England-record time of 4:00.40. Lily Kessinger, Allyssia Limperis, Lauren Cardarelli and Jeanne Mack combined to register the fourth-fastest time in the U.S.

Classical’s Victoria Flowers placed second in the girls’ 4-kilogram hammer with a throw of 158 feet, 3 inches (48.23 meters).

NIKE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Greensboro, N.C.
GIRLS’ RESULTS
HT - 2, (AA) Victoria Flowers, Classical 158-3 (48.23 meters). SP - 9, (F2), Flowers 40-0.50 (12.23). 400 - 5, (AA) Rachel Sylvia, Westerly 57.67. Mile - 12 (H2), Jeanne Mack, La Salle 5:02.66. Fr. Mile - 15, Michon Dinwoodie, Westerly 5:19.93. 4x100 - 5 (H2), La Salle 49.95; 5, (H6), Hope 50.22. 4x200 - 6, (H2), Hope 1:45.91. 4x400 - 2, (H2), La Salle 3:57.21; 4 (H4), Westerly 3:57.84. SMR (@ 800m) - 6 (H3), Hope 1:53.29. SMR (@ 1600m) 4, (AA) La Salle 4:00.40 (State record. OR: 4:02.29, Westerly 2005); 13, Westerly 4:07.17. DMR - 11, Westerly 12:07.96.
* AA = All American. All times FAT.
BOYS RESULTS
HT - 9, Pat Onye, Classical 187-6 (57.15 meters); 10, Mike Gama, Hendricken 184-6 (56.24); 11, Pat Sampson, Hendricken 178-2 (54.30); 13, Justin Nicoll, E. Providence 175-9 (53.56). 200 - 4 (H1), Matt Washington, Hope 21.86. Mile - 6 (H1), Andrew Palumbo, Hendricken 4:16.49. 5000 - 3, (AA) Andrew Springer, Westerly 14:56.46 (State record. OR: 15:11.48, John Hines, Toll Gate 1987); 21, Tim O’Loughlin, Westerly 15:25.92. 4x100 - 4 (H3), Hope 42.71. 4x200 - 2, (H2), Hope 1:29.81 (State record. OR: 1:30.17, Hendricken 1986. SMR (@ 800) - 7 (H3), Hope 1:41.54 (Est. State record). 4x1-mile relay - 13, (H2), Hendricken 18:29.68.
* AA = All American. All times FAT.