You can’t argue with a pair of state records (and then some).
That’s what our latest HOKA Athletes of the Week achieved this past weekend at the Division I State Championships. Congratulations to Gabrielle “Gabby” Pierre of Lincoln Sudbury and McKenna O’Hare-Gibson of Lexington, our respective female and male recipients of this week’s honor.
Pierre left no doubt that she’s a heavy favorite to claim the triple jump crown at this week’s Meet of Champions, and possibly contend for the national crown two weeks later. On the first day of the Div. 1 meet Friday night, the L-S junior leaped a two-foot PR in her specialty with a meet and state record of 43-feet even, currently No. 2 in the country. That effort smashed the previous state mark of 42-1.25, sei in 2011 by Newton North’s Carla Forbes. It’s also less than a half inch from the U.S. Olympic Trials standard. If that wasn’t enough, two days later at the Westfield State University facility, Pierre added the long jump title to her list with an all-time best and state-leading 19-2.
O’Hare Gibson also left the D1’s as a state record-holder. The Northeastern-bound senior earned his mark in the 400-meter hurdles. O’Hare-Gibson took down the five-year-old meet and state record with a winning time of 53.19 seconds. The Lexington standout erased the record of 53.30 by Brockton’s Jordan Wilson in 2011. Like his counterpart, O’Hare Gibson had some unfinished business after his memorable race. On Sunday, he won the 400m (without hurdles) in 49.39, a time that’s currently No. 12 in the state.
