Mario Villegas, Sports Information
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May 19, 2009

ELAC's Gerardo Places 5th at State Meet

MONTEREY PARK - MONTEREY PARK - East Los Angeles College freshman Brandi Gerardo placed fifth in the heptathlon over the weekend at the California Community College Track and Field Championships in San Mateo.

The Alhambra High School graduate accumulated 4,275 points in the seven-event competition held at the College of San Mateo.

Gerardo took first in one event, the 100-meter intermediate hurdles in 14.81 seconds. She also placed second in the 200 in 25.70.

Gerardo also had a fifth in the shot put (30 feet 8 inches), ninth in the high jump (4-6), sixth in the 800 (2:28.74), sixth in the javelin (85-9)  and seventh in the long jump (15-6).

"She had a very good meet against a very competitive field," ELAC Coach Steve Lagunas said. "The difference between finishing fifth or second could have swung either way. We thought she was going to finish as high as third or fourth as the results came in, but you can't scruff too much at finishing fifth at state, especially when it's a freshman."

Gerardo said she was disappointed that she didn't do better in some of the field events.

"I was really disappointed in some of my marks because I felt I could have done better," she said. "But it was a good experience for me and I really learned a lot."

She came to ELAC as a runner and had never competed in any of the field events until this season.

"I'd never done most of them and I still have a lot to learn," she said. "I'll be more prepared next year."

She credited assistant coach Jerome Millet for working with her individually and assistant coach Nalin Adikarim who coached her in the high jump.

"Brandi was my top recruit, but a lot of credit has to go to Jerome Millet," Lagunas said. "He really went out of his way to train her."

Butte College freshman Sarah Nichols won the heptathlon with 4,504 points.