HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD: MORDVINOVA WINS 800, BREAKS OWN SCHOOL RECORD AT STATE QUALS (16 PHOTOS) (2023-05-31)

Southern Tier Sports Report
ENDICOTT — Elmira’s Vicky Mordvinova turned in a dominant performance to win the 800 meters and make states to highlight the first day at the Section IV State Qualifier at Union-Endicott High School.

Mordvinova won the 800 in 2:11.74, more than five seconds faster than anyone else in the field.

“This time breaks her own school record,” Elmira coach Amy Balash said. “The race had to be re-started because of a fall. She got out fast and ran exactly as we planned. She executed well and ran so well.”

For Mordvinova it was a good way to state the state qualifier meet.

“I felt very happy with my performance,” she said. “It’s something you can’t really imagine you are racing so fast and then you go out and you do it.”

There was a girl that fell right behind Mordvinova at the start which caused the race to have to be restarted.

“I felt so bad for the girls, the girls is such a sweet girl, but in general I don’t mind the restart, it didn’t shake me up,” Mordvinova said. “If anything I considered it a stride and moved on.”

Running by herself for much of the race also didn’t bother Mordvinova.

“I focused on the finish line is almost there,” she said. “When it’s an 800 you just run a lap and then another lap. Even if I’m running by myself the most challenging thing Is for me to run. In general my mindset is to just think I’m racing myself.

Now it’s onto states for the Elmira senior.

“I’m going to focus on mentally having enough time to warm up and making sure I’m equipped for the weather, whatever it may be,” Mordvinova said.

In the girls’ 3000 Ella Devlin took sixth in 11:18.78.

Caleb Belanger was 17th in the boys’ 800 in 2:06.06.

In the girls’ 100 hurdles Zalayna Brown was eighth in 17.74. Ta’hjay Molina-Bacome was 22nd in the boys’ 200 in 24.38.

Maciej Ziembecki was 14th in the pole vault at 11-feet.

Piper Hooey was fourth in the long jump at 15-feet, 6 3/4-inches and Brown as sixth at 15-feet, 2 1/2-inches.

Alex McKerrow was fifth in the discus at 134-feet.
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IN TOP PHOTO: Elmira’s Vicky Mordvinova wins the 800. . . PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY, TIM TAYLOR AND CHRIS MANNING.