Published on Jan. 28, 2012 in the Boston Globe
Amy Piccolo feared the 29 minutes separating her two races in Sunday’s MSTCA Elite 24 Invitational at Reggie Lewis Center wouldn’t give her enough time to recharge.
Turns out, she had nothing to worry about.
The Ursuline sophomore grabbed the state’s fastest times in the 300- and 600-meter runs for the first double win of her high school career.
“It was tiring, but it was worth it,” Piccolo said. “I want to try and work on this double, because I think I can get it better.”
In the 600, she said she usually pulls ahead early and holds on through the finish, but this time stayed with the pack until 150 meters out.
“It felt weird at first, but then I had extra left for kicking,” she said. “I was trying to do my best without using too much energy.”
Despite conserving herself for two races, she took two seconds off her personal best, finishing atop the podium in 1 minute 34.06 seconds. Narragansett’s Kristin Webb took second (1:36.81).
Less than a half-hour later, Piccolo was through 200 meters and comfortably in second place, but wanted first in the 300.
She pushed through the final bend and straightaway to edge Domonique Hall of Shrewsbury (40.58) for the top spot, crossing at 40.53.
“I knew I was tired so I just hung on and tried to kick at the end and it was successful,” she said.
Peabody’s Catarina Rocha won the mile in 4:50.39, which broke the meet record she set last year (4:53.89).
“I wasn’t trying to do anything but run my best,” Rocha said. “All the girls ran a PR too, so that’s awesome, too. It’s a good day for everyone.”
Her sub-five minute finish qualified as the third-fastest time in the country this season.
“It’s pretty cool,” Rocha said. “I mean it’s early in the season. I doubt I’ll be third later on, but it’s kind of cool right now to be in there.”
Somerset’s Adam Couitt was named one of the meet’s outstanding athletes — along with Piccolo and Rocha — for winning the high jump and placing fourth in the 55-meter dash even after thinking it wasn’t one of his best meets.
Couitt cleared 6 feet 6 inches on the high jump, which was 4 inches off his personal best and season goal of 6-10.
“I don’t want to say I’m disappointed in it, because of course I’m happy that I won,” he said.
But after taking the last few weeks off to nurse a hamstring injury, he said he was pleased with just barely missing a PR in the 55-meter dash with a 6.61, which was good enough for fourth place.
“I honestly hadn’t even ran the 55 in a month or two, which is way too long,” he said. “My PR is 6.58, so I wasn’t too far off of it.”
Mike O’Donnell of Methuen bested the previous boys’ 1,000-meter run meet record by .58 seconds, finishing in 2:27.22.
Eric Beckwith of North Attleboro threw the shot put 59-1¼ for a convincing first-place finish. Seekonk’s Nate Robitaille and Evan Dombrowski of St. John’s tied for second at 55-5.
A week after setting the State Relay meet record in the boys’ 4 x 200, Woburn’s Chris Jewett, Preston Gordon, Anthony Nguyen, and Gavin Wilson placed first with a time of 1:31.99.
In the girls’ 2-mile race, Bedford’s Erin Dietz won her first major-meet individual race at Reggie Lewis with a time of 10:51.77.
In the girls’ high jump, Lincoln-Sudbury’s Lucy Alexander and Wachusett’s Amy Collins each cleared 5-8.