Emma Zawatski wasn't going to leave Boston this time without doing something big.
A week after she had an off race at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional (32nd place) at Franklin Park in Boston, the senior at Freehold Township bounced back in a huge way by running a sizzling 9:36.30, the second fastest time in New Jersey indoor history, at Saturday's Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University.
Competing against a field of college runners, Zawatski, who was running unattached, finished 53rd overall among the 132 runners who finished. The University of Colorado-bound Zawatski finished second in her heat behind Ava Duggan of Northeastern, who ran a big PR of 9:35.77.
Zawatski, who won her second straight NJ Meet of Champions XC title two weeks ago, came into the race with a 3,200 PR of 10:38.18. Her 9:36.30 converts to 10:18.77 for 3,200!!!
The only NJ runner to run faster than Zawatski for 3K is Angelina Perez of Lakeland, who ran 9:15.25 en route to a her third-place finish in the 2-mile in 9:56.96 at the 2022 New Balance National Championships at the New York Armory.
