HOUSTON - University of Hawai`i heptathletes Patricia Gauthier and Amanda Page recorded their personal Day 1 best point total today in the first of two days of the heptathlon at the 2004 Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Wendel D. Ley Track at the Rice Track/Soccer Stadium. It was a very humid rainy day weather-wise, which is expected to get worse Friday and Saturday.

Gauthier leads the trio of UH heptathletes with a first day total of 2,473 points that places her in seventh place overall after the first four of seven events.

"It is very hard to be very good in all seven events," head women's track coach Carmyn James said. "I am very pleased with how the first day turned out."

Gauthier had solid performances in the 100m hurdles (15.74) and 200m dash (27.15), while equalling her personal best leap in the high jump (1.52m). She dropped some points, however, in the shot put with a toss of 7.66m.

Page set a personal best first day total of 2,326 points that places her 11th overall. She posted strong showings in the 100m hurdles (17.35) and 200m dash (28.46), while equalling her best effort in the high jump (1.52m). Page was part of a little controversy in the 100m hurdles when the judges did not see a runner from Rice tumble into Page's lane getting her offstride and causing her to take extra steps in two of the hurdles. Page was given a second chance to run, by herself, and hence scored her second best time in the event.

Teammate Lana Phillips is in 12th place with a first day total of 2,309 points. Phillips posted a slow effort in the 100m hurdles (17.13) when she realized she had a contact in backwards causing her to feel dizzy and run offstride. However, she regrouped and went on to finish strong in the other three events. She leaped to a personal best in the high jump (1.46m) and hit her second best marks in both the shot put (8.95) and 200m dash (27.28).

"I was pleased with how Lana recovered to come back strong in her other three events," James said. "I expect both Lana (Phillips) and Amanda (Page) to both move up tomorrow."

The meet began today with the start of the women's heptathlon. The multi-events conclude Thursday with the heptathlon begining at 5 p.m.

On Friday, the running events begin with the prelims of the 1500 (if needed) at 5 p.m., while the field events get underway at 2:30 pm. with the women's hammer. The finals of the running events start Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with the 4x100-meter relay. The men's hammer gets Saturday's field events started at 3 p.m.