Track and field: Athletes are feeling the heat down on the field

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A shot putter with an umbrella (pictured), a pole vaulter with a towel around his head and officials with bags of ice on their necks. Everyone has his own way of trying to keep cool on the field Saturday at the Southern Section-Toyota track and field division championships.

The temperature at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut is in the high 90s, but it feels as if it has reached the 100s.

The heat took its toll on three Long Beach Poly sprinters during the girls’ Division I 400 meters. Freshman Akawkaw Ndipagbor, junior Jasmine Joseph and senior Tanisha Hawkins finished 1-2-3 in the race but all ended up in a nearby tent receiving medical attention.

The trainer’s station, which only had two tables, was soon overmatched by six girls, all of whom had participated in the 400. Three were being treated on one of the tables at the same time.

Ndipagbor and Hawkins, who finished in 53.46 and 55.64, respectively, should be fine to participate later on in the 200 and the 1600 relay, according to a coach from Poly. The same cannot be said for Joseph, the defending state champion in the 400, who was cramping up badly as her father tried to comfort her. Joseph had a time of 54.41.

Joseph’s father said the cramping was the result of a combination of dehydration and heat exhaustion. Neither girl had a drink of water after the race. They were stopped by a photographer to pose for a photo. Ndipagbor collapsed on the photographer’s arms as she was writing down her name.

Soon after the race, officials near the finished line reminded runners to have a drink of water before going into the stands.

UPDATE: Ndipagbor, Hawkins and Joseph all ended up competing in the 200 and 1600 relay later in the day. Not only that, but qualified for next week’s Masters meet in those events as well.

-- Jaime Cardenas

-- Image by Jaime Cardenas

-- Editor Bob: For complete Southern Section divisonal championship results, check here.