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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - For anyone who didn't already know just how loaded the Toms River North boys program is, they sure do now after the electrifying weekend the Mariners produced at the 128th Penn Relays at historic Franklin Field.
TRN place on the national track and field map was solidified and secured on Saturday when they competed in three championship races. No other NJ team pulled off that triple.
It started when TRN placed 11th in the 4x800 Championship of America race in 8:01.52. That was followed by what looked like a victory in the 4x100 Northeast final when TRN ran 41.79, but they were later disqualified because the anchor runner ran out of their lane. Their time was under the Shore Conference record.
Toms River North's amazing triple was capped off when they ran 3:20.46 to place eighth in the 4x400 Championship of America race. TRN, who ran a NJ No. 1 time of 3:16.47 in the 4x400 qualifying heats and 7:52.51 in the 4x800 trials, were the only U.S. team that ran in both the 4x800 and 4x400 C of A races.
In the 4x400, Mordecai Ford, who ran five times in two days, Camryn Thomas, Lowrentzky Ambroise and Mamadi Diawara shared the baton. Ambroise and Diawara ran on the 4x100, just a hour before the 4x400. Camryn Thomas and Ford also ran on the 4x800.
"Three championship relays is just crazy," said Ford, "We had tsome up's and down's, but we're gonna come back bigger and better."
"We found out about the DQ just 20 minutes before we had to run the 4x400, but we just wiped it out of our minds and attacked the track in the 4x400,'' said Diawara. "It was tough weekend for us with all the running we did, but we pushed through and did our thing. I think everyone knows who we are now.''
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