GLADS POISED FOR 3C2A STATEMENT

By Phil Jensen
Special to Chabot Athletics
The Chabot College track and field program is in the spotlight this week in more than one way.
Seven athletes will be competing in the 3C2A State Track and Field Championships on Friday and Saturday at Saddleback College-Mission Viejo, and coach Kyle Robinson found out on May 10 that he has been named the Northern California Men's Track and Field Coach of the Year.
"It's very rewarding to receive an award that's voted on by our entire regional coaching body," said Robinson in a text. "I put a lot of time and effort into the success and organization of our conference and regional championships in addition to building a successful track and field program here at Chabot. So it's definitely an honor to receive an award voted on by my peers from the Northern California region."
Robinson's athletes, both men and women, could make an impact at this year's state championships.
The Gladiators' Daniel Trampe has the top time in the state in the men's 5,000 meters (14 minutes, 15.77 seconds). There is only one competitor within nine seconds of that time: Mt. San Antonio College's Ian Crocker (14:18.16).
"With a three-second difference between the two, it will come down to who has the better day." Robinson said. He also said that Trampe's victory at the Northern California championships in early May was "pretty comfortable." Trampe won with a time of 15:07.59 and pulled away in the last 800. "He's a very strong runner," said Robinson about Trampe.
Chabot's Robert Stitts' best mark in the men's 200 (21.00) is tied for first in the state with Mt. SAC's Jake Jensen. But Jensen's mark was achieved on April 17; Stitts' mark was achieved this month at the NorCal championship preliminaries.
Stitts also has the second-fastest time in the men's 100 (10.36), trailing only the wind-aided mark of Mt. SAC's Asani Hampton (10.15). Stitts' mark, also wind-aided, was achieved at the NorCal championship final, as he won both the 100 and 200 (21.06 in the final). "He really had a phenomenal day," said Robinson.
Egypt Hughes set two school women's records at the NorCal championships in the 100 (11.84 in the preliminaries, wind aided) and 200 (24.49 in the preliminaries, wind legal). Her time in the 100 ranks fourth in the state (just .02 off of third) and her 200 clocking ranks sixth (just .05 off of third).
In the NorCal finals, Hughes placed second in the 200 (24.55) and third in the 100 (12.09), both wind-legal times. "She had a fantastic meet," said Robinson. "She's been pretty consistent (this season)."
Kyle Galinis, a Chabot freshman, now has the sixth-fastest time in the state in the men's 10,000 meters (31:23.69). The Newark Memorial graduate set that personal record at the NorCal championships, where he placed second. He will also be competing in the 5,000, as he placed sixth in that event at the NorCal meet (15:22.31).
Other Gladiators who will be competing this weekend include Logan Phulps in the men's 3,000 steeplechase, Shawn Carter in the men's triple jump, and Medha Gowda in the women's 1,500.
Chabot's first event is the men's 10,000 on Friday at 8 p.m. The rest of its events will occur on Saturday. The men's 3,000 steeplechase is at 3:50 p.m., followed by the women's 1,500 (4:30), the women's 100 (5:35), the men's 100 (5:45), the women's 200 (6:50), the men's 200 (7:00), the men's triple jump (7:00) and the men's 5,000 (7:50).
Photo: Chabot star Robert Stitts is a state contender in the sprints.