Manhasset's Blocker credits teammate Easton for success

Manhasset's Jasmine Blocker has all the motivation she needs to compete in track and field. And it doesn't come from any outside influences.

The senior sprinter placed first in the 100- and 200-meters at the Bulldog Invitational at Hewlett Saturday. The Bulldog Invitational was the final leg of the four-meet Long Island Grand Prix of Track and Field.

Blocker credited some of her success to her training partner and teammate, Emily Easton.

Easton ran side-by-side with Blocker to a second-place finish in the 200. She ran next to Blocker in the 100 also, finishing fourth.

"Every day it's the same thing and we are always going at it," said Blocker, who won the 100 in 12.1 seconds and the 200 in 25.2. "It just makes us both so much better because we have someone to work off of."

Running next to each other during the invitational - Blocker was in lane one, while Easton was in lane two in the 200 - made things easier for both runners.

"Running together like this feels real comfortable, because it's almost like practice," Easton said.

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As for the times, Blocker was satisfied and said: "Neither time was a personal best, but it's where I want to be at this point in the season."

It won't be easy next year for Easton, though. "I'm only a junior, so I'll need to find a new training partner," Easton said.

It was also a banner day for Brentwood's Donna Jeanty. In a race between two of Long Island's top hurdlers, Jeanty edged Baldwin's Regine Lazard in the 400 hurdles, winning in 1:01.2. Lazard finished in 1:01.9. Lazard earned her time in the spotlight with a first-place finish in the 100 hurdles.

Jeanty was also a member of the winning 4 x 400-meter relay team, which won in 4:04. Jeanty took home the girls MVP award.

Hewlett's Ana Obed also had a fine day, placing first in the shot put with a career-best toss of 40 feet, 6 inches. Obed was named girls field MVP.

Hewlett's day didn't end there as Vanessa Pierre was a double winner, winning the long jump (17-4) and the triple jump (33-9).

Other winners at the Bulldog Invitational included Elmont's Kyla Ridley in the 400 (57.8), Cold Spring Harbor's Caroline McManus in the pole vault (9-6), Calhoun's Valerie Vancol in the discus (106-6) and Friends Academy's Kira Garry in the 1,500 (4:55.2).

Valley Stream Central's Joanne Imbert won the high jump (5-6) and Bellport's Deana Garbarino took first in the 800 in 2:20.4.