With standout runner Molly Weithman setting yet another team record during the 2023-24 high-school campaign, the senior was joined in the accomplishment by sophomore teammate Ciara Bliven.
During a recent girls outdoor spring home track and field meet for the Bishop O’Connell Knights, Weithman ran a 4:56.16 in the girls 1,600-meters, breaking the previous team record of 5:01.2 she set during the indoor track and field season this past winter campaign.
“Molly really wanted to break 5 minutes in her senior season – now she has,” O’Connell coach Jim Connor said. “Breaking 5 minutes in that race is a big deal.”
In addition to the 1,600 record, Weithman also set team marks in the 3,200 (10:40.78) and 5K (17:41) during the current school year.
In the fall’s cross country season, Weithman, who will run at the College of William and Mary, won Division I private-school state championships as a junior and senior. At this past winter’s indoor state meet, Weithman won the 3,200 and was second in the 1,000 and 1,600 – all the same day.
As for Bliven’s new school record, that came in the girls discus with a throw of 101 feet. The old record was 98 feet set back in the 1970s.
At the recent McNamara Mustangs Invitational meet in Maryland, Bliven finished second in the discus with a throw of 92-11. Weithman was third in the 800 in 2:19.99.
In the boys meet for O’Connell, Jayse Brefczynski was fourth in the 1,600 (4:34.36) and Jay Thompson seventh in the shot put (44 feet).
