SACRAMENTO, Calif. – University of Hawai'i senior Samantha Balentine placed second in the heptathlon at the Mondo Multi-Events, Friday at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium.
 
The senior from Lodi, Calif., scored 5,125 points in the seven disciplines and surpassed her previous personal-best by 110 points. She started the day by jumping 17-7.5 (5.37m) in the long jump and throwing 97-8 (29.77m) in the javelin before concluding the event with a huge PR in the 800-meters (2:23.00), chopping nearly five seconds off her previous lifetime best.
 
Senior Amanda Alvarez took fifth with a personal-best 4,721 points, more than 400 points higher than her previous best. She leaped 18-2 (5.55m) in the long jump and threw 72-9 (22.17m) in the javelin. In the final event, she ran a whopping 2:22.14, which was nearly 18 seconds better than her previous best.
 
Junior Kaleigh Morrison placed sixth with 4,648 points and sophomore Zhane Santiago placed eighth with 4,532 points in her first-ever heptathlon. Both athletes also ran lifetime bests in the 800-meters at 2:36.52 and 2:45.72, respectively.
 
On Thursday, the four UH heptathletes achieved a total of 13 personal bests and broke two UH records – Balentine in the high jump (6-0.5/1.84m), a mark which ranks No. 5 nationally, and Santiago in the 100-meter hurdles (14.06s).
 
The next time UH's hepathletes will compete in the event will be May 3-4 at the Big West Conference Championships in Northridge, Calif.