Live Results  |  Final Heptathlon Results

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Competing in the school's first-ever Big West Track and Field Championships, University of Hawai'i senior Samantha Balentine captured the school's first Big West gold medal, Saturday, winning the heptathlon by 86 points.
 
The Lodi, Calif., native totaled 5,060 points in the seven disciplines, easily out-pointing runner-up UC Riverside's Jazmine Lewis. UH's Kaleigh Morrison and Amanda Alvarez placed sixth and seventh, respectively, with personal best performances. Morrison scored 4,754 points while Alvarez totaled 4,728 points.
 
Entering the second day of the heptathlon with a 225-point lead, Balentine started with a 17-0.75 (5.20m) long jump and then 101-0 (30.80m) javelin throw which dwindled her lead to a mere 38 points. In the final event, the grueling 800-meter run, she stuck by Lewis and crossed the finish line in 2:27.91, nearly four seconds ahead of her.
 
For Balentine, who is also among the nation's top high jumpers, the gold medal is the first of her career after second straight heptathlon medal after winning silver at last year's Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships.
 
Morrison posted marks of 17-6.75 (5.35m) in the long jump, 114-10 (35.00m) in the javelin and 2:34.16 in the 800-meters on her way to a personal best total.
 
For the second straight day, Alvarez broke a UH heptathlon event record. The Vancouver, Wash., native jumped 19-0.75 (5.81m) in the long jump breaking the record previously held by All-American Annett Wichmann, who happened to be in attendance. Alvarez also threw 73-5 (22.39m) in the javelin and clocked in at 2:19.66 in the 800-meters. On Friday, Alvarez broke the 200-meters record.
 
Individual events of the Big West Championships run Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11 in Northridge, Calif.