MSTCA Large School Classic: Natick dominates 600

A talented trio of Natick runners competed outside their comfort zones in the 600 at Sunday’s MSTCA Large School Speed Classic and came away owning the event on the Reggie Lewis Center track.

Nick Bianchi is a 4:23 miler and his brother John has run 4:26. The third runner, Andy Marotta, has clocked a 51.0 in the 400. The brothers dropped down to compete in the 600 and Marotta moved up. The result was a 1-2-3 finish with Nick clocking a 1:26.99 and John and Andy finishing in 1:27.21 and 1:27.26, respectively, in an event that drew 85 athletes.

The race was used as a speed workout for the two brothers who are used to the longer distances and are concentrating on improving their mile times. “I’m trying to go under 4:20 this winter,” said Nick, who will attend Stonehill College. “I knew I had to make sure I finished hard through the line. This is the most fun running a race I’ve ever had. It’s the perfect distance.”

Lucas Andrade has gotten off to a fast start this season, beginning with the Winter Festival where he captured the 55 hurdles. It was more of the same Sunday for the Brockton junior as he blitzed the hurdle field, coming away with a new personal best of 7.67.

The Boxers swept the top two places as Nazier Blues-Gomes took the silver medal in 8.09.

“I think I could have had a better start because I stuttered a bit,” said Andrade. “I’ve been working on my block starts. If you mess that up it messes up your whole race.”

Brockton picked up another win early in the meet when Wolf Lentz Victor finished atop the 300 field in 36.0. That edged out Michael Cliver of Natick (36.18) and Andover’s Ben Murfitt (36.83). “My start was good,” said Lentz Victor. “I saw one guy in front of me and I knew I had to pass him. I want to run faster than today, 35 or 34.”

Natick’s Sydni Chandler’s form was a little off after the first two hurdles, but that didn’t stop her from winning the 55 hurdles with a personal best of 9.34. An accomplished dancer, Chandler leaped a personal best in the high jump of 5-0 in a Bay State Conference dual meet on Thursday. “The start (of the hurdles) felt good. After the first two I was going high over them.”

In the weight throw, Revere’s Kevin Purcifull was victorious with a heave of 43-3 and North Andover’s Elif Altunkilic took the win on the girls’ side with a 31-7 effort. Anna Leschly of Brookline clinched the gold medal in the 600 with a 1:39.99 mark.

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