Big Red track competes at New Balance Nationals

Strong performances by Bennett, Swett and Wabunoha, highlighted by Swett’s seventh-place finish in discus.

By
Brian Muldoon
June 18, 2019
Phillips Exeter Academy Track Matthew Wabunoha

Matthew Wabunoha '20 finishes first in the 110m hurdles in a meet against Andover earlier this season. Wabunoha posted a 35th place finish in the Boys Championship 110m Hurdles this past Saturday.

Kaylee Bennett ‘22, Jeremiah Swett ’21 and Matthew Wabunoha ’20 capped their 2019 spring season this past weekend as they competed at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina. The trio represented Big Red with strong performances, highlighted by Swett’s seventh-place finish in the Boys Emerging Elite Discus.

Swett, who earned a New England title in the discus along with second- and third-place finishes in the shot put and javelin at Interschols, qualified for the Emerging Elite finals following a first-place finish in his heat with a personal-record toss and finished seventh overall with a best throw of 164 feet, three inches. Swett was the lone tenth grader who qualified for the finals. Click here to watch on-demand videos of Swett’s throws.

Wabunoha, who captured a New England title in the 300m hurdles and a second-place finish in the 110m hurdles at Interschols, also enjoyed a strong performance in the 100m hurdles at Nationals as he crossed at 35th overall in a stacked field with a time of 14.39. You can watch Wabunoha’s race here.

Bennett rounded out Exeter’s efforts in North Carolina with solid showing in the Freshman 400m. Bennett, who accounted for 22 points with second-place finishes in the 100m dash and 4x400m relay along with a third-place finish in the 200m dash at Interschols, came in a 1:00.53 in her first national competition. Check out Bennett’s race here.

View full results from the New Balance Outdoor nationals.