Mount Sinai's Kate Del Gandio wins state title in 55-meter hurdles

Something had to stop Kate Del Gandio. If it was a video board, then so be it. Del Gandio was fresh off her win in the state championship 55-meter hurdles race Saturday morning. The Mount Sinai senior knew she was a champion, and that was enough. But, when she saw her time, an 8.14, flash on the video board, she stopped – knees bent, mouth agape in surprise.

She knew she had run fast, but she didn’t imagine it would be quite that fast.

"I was pushing to break a [personal record] today, but I wasn’t expecting to go that fast," said Del Gandio shortly after her victory at the state indoor track and field championships at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island. "I’m at a loss for words right now seeing that time up there."

Del Gandio’s time was the fastest in the state this season, according to milesplit.com. Her previous top time, an 8.22, had stood as the state’s top mark since early January.

"[The race] felt fast," Del Gandio said. "In practice, we were working on a lot of speed this week. That definitely paid off, just working with [Mount Sinai] coach [Bill] Dwyer on getting your feet down in between the hurdles. That’s all I was thinking about that whole race."

Del Gandio ran 8.24 in the preliminary round, finishing .06 seconds ahead of the field and earning the middle lane in the finals.

"I knew I was a little bit high on the first two hurdles," Del Gandio said. "I definitely wanted to be lower and a little bit smoother there."

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: New York State indoor track and field championships

Then came the 8.14. Wow.

So why the jump in time? Why, after weeks of struggling to get past 8.22, did Del Gandio run .08 seconds faster?

One, was the natural phenomenon of adrenaline. It was the first indoor state championships since early-March 2020. How could she not be excited?

But it also had to do with who was watching – namely Roberto J. Vives, the Director of Track and Field at the University of Albany, where Del Gandio will run next school year.

"I was like, ‘all right, let’s go out and impress today," she said.

Safe to say she did.

Elsewhere, Huntington’s Analisse Batista won the 600 in one minute, 32.94 seconds. Almost immediately, Batista was behind Paul Robeson’s Anissa Moore, who took the race out hard at the gun. For someone who likes to start quick herself, Batista said she was a little worried when she saw Moore dart forward.

"She went out faster than I usually do," Batista said. "But, I just stayed relaxed the whole time because I knew if I got scared, I would have run faster and I wouldn’t have had that extra push I had at the end."

That push came with 150 meters to go. After closing the gap between her and Moore on the second lap – almost effortlessly gliding up towards the front – Batista took control in the final 150 meters. She moved into first on the third-to-last turn and closed it out strong, splitting a 32.04 in the process.

"I tried to stay (within) striking distance of (Moore), so that way, when I had the opportunity, I’d take it," Batista said. "I pushed as much as I could."

When Batista finally passed Moore, she knew she’d be able to hold the lead.

"I think of myself as a strong runner," she said. "I knew I had the capability of pushing myself for the whole 150."

It’s Batista’s first individual Federation indoor state championship. She won the public school 600 in 2020.

Elmont’s 4X200 meter relay team, composed of Alexandra Williams, Stephney Pryce, Andre-Anna Rodney, and Ashley Fulton, won in 1:42.81, topping Baldwin who was second in 1:44.42.

"I’m good when I’m running on turns," said Fulton, who ran the anchor leg. "I definitely used the turns to my advantage."

In the field, Commack’s Julie Thomas won the shot put, throwing 40 feet, 10 ½ inches and St. Anthony’s Marisa D’Angelo won the pole vault, clearing 12-6. Rocky Point’s Alexandra Kelly won the triple jump, flying 39 feet, six inches.

Kelly went back to a 32-foot board on Saturday. She had gone up to a 36-footer before the Suffolk small school county championships last month, but said she decided to go back to one she was more comfortable with for the state championships.

"The boards [at Ocean Breeze] are different," Kelly said. "They’re planted into the runway….It was a safety for me. I know I can do well on the (32-foot board). Instead of challenging myself, I just wanted to have that safety with me today."