March 15, 2006

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Michael Padilla won the 5000 meter run, and West Florida won two other events at the 2006 Disney Relays this past weekend. The event was held at the Walt Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

After setting a school record with a time of 14:41 in the 5000 meter run at last year's Disney Relays, Padilla's time of 15:12 was good enough to win the event this year. Caleb Carmichael placed seventh at 16:27, while Patrick McHugh finished 10th with a time of 17:23. Jordan Theuerkauf and Kris Head both participated in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase. Theuerkauf finished fourth at 10:25, while Head placed seventh at 11:11.

The West Florida men's team also won a relay and distance medley event. The 4x800 meter relay team of Craig Henry, Justin Gates, Wayne Miller, and Brian Gowin crossed the tape at 8:08, nearly 13 seconds ahead of second place Baldwin-Wallace College. West Florida's distance medley "A" team of Michael Padilla, Craig Henry, Brian Gowin, and Caleb Carmichael finished first with a time of 10:39. That time was only four seconds off the school record, set at the 2003 Disney Relays. The West Florida distance medley "B" team finished sixth at 11:26. The 4x1600 meter relay team placed second with a time of 18:36. The 4x400 meter relay "A" team finished fifth with a time of 3:37. The "B" team's time of 3:50 was good for sixth place.

Five Argonauts earned top ten finishes in the women's 5000 meter run. Dawn Kane led the West Florida contingent with a fourth place time of 19:44. Naomi Evangelista placed sixth at 20:12, while Becky Thielemann finished in seventh at 20:41. Diana Sitar's time of 21:21 was good for ninth, while Lindsey Failing posted a 10th place time of 21:22. Emily McHugh finished 17th with a time of 24:08. In the other individual race event, Terese Santana placed seventh with a time of 18:39 in the 100 meter hurdles.

West Florida finished in the top five in three of four relay events. The 4x800 relay team of Kim Gallagher, Jen Pulmano, Jessica Spurgeon, and Bernadette White finished second with a time of 9:59. That same relay team finished third with a time of 4:17 in the 4x400 meter relay. The 4x1600 meter relay team finished fifth with a time of 22:28, while the distance medley team earned a sixth place finish at 13:43.

West Florida will return to track on Mar. 23-25 at the FSU Relays. The event will be held on the campus of Florida Sate University in Tallahassee, Fla.