In what will be a common theme throughout the indoor season, this past weekend was a busy one with a trio of competitions taking place – the MSTCA Winter Festival Large and Small School meets on Friday and Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Center and the inaugural Mercury Indoor Games at Wheaton College’s Haas Athletic Center on Saturday. For this week’s HOKA Athletes of the Week, were recognizing athletes from both locations. Congratulations to Norton’s Jillian Strynar and Haverhill’s Nathanael Vigo Catala for this week’s honor.
Strynar, one of our state’s top sprinters, was a triple winner at the Mercury Games with victories in the 55-meter dash (7.42 seconds), 300m (43.07) and long jump (15 feet, 1 inch). In the 55m, Strynar clocked the fastest time in the state in prelims with 7.35 effort. She’s among the top returnees in this event, finishing sixth at the Meet of Champions last winter.
Vigo Catala, the defending 300m titlist at the MOC, made a statement at the Winter Festival Large School meet. The speedy senior was the only runner to dip under 35 seconds this past weekend, winning his specialty with a quick 34.95 clocking. Vigo Catala will be looking to challenge his all-time best of 34.37 from last season, an effort he did to capture his crown at the MOC.
