CANTON, N.Y. - The skies have opened up over St. Lawrence University, around Leckonby Stadium and the Merrick-Pinkard track. Bard has worked hard to make it here, garnering momentum throughout the season in order to finish strong at conference championships.

Kai Roper is going for the heptathlon over the weekend, a single event in which athletes cycle between seven different disciplines: the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m dash, long jump, javelin, and the 800m race. She is the first Bard woman to attempt any multi-event. Roper's day began with the 100m hurdles, which she began practice for just two days ago. She finished in 22.95, and took about thirty minutes before moving to high jump. Roper got over the bar placed at 1.19 meters, was allowed a quick breather, then moved to shot put, throwing 6.37 meters. For her final event of the day, Roper clocked 30.02 in the 200m dash; she'll finish out the remaining three events tomorrow.
 
Bard's duality in the 400m could not be more apparent: Senior Carina Cooke and first-year Loie Acton lined up on opposite lanes (Cooke in 8, Acton in 1), for Cooke's final 400m, and Acton's first championship heat. Despite being injured, the veteran pushed through in 1:02.14, missing qualification, but placing 11th overall. Acton leaned through the line at 1:04.13, which is a personal best.

The men's 400m heats featured a parallel lineup: Senior James Washington, and first-year Kariuki Massio. Both have saved their best for when it matters most: Washington moved to third in program history with a 52.06, a personal best by a full second. Kariuki improved his previous best mark by almost a second, clocking 53.03 in a thrilling championship debut.

Avery Crafton and Gabrielle Parchment are the only Bard athletes to challenge the 100m dash. Crafton was 0.04 seconds from his season best mark, at 12.05. Parchment finished her season through injury at 12.98, still making it under the sub-13 mark, but the rising senior has much more space to take next year.
 
Senior Chloe Desautels and returning Massio take the track next for the 800m race. Desautels valiantly took the first lap through in 1:14.82, ending in 2:40.23, a personal best and fifth in program history. Massio split a new personal best, following the competitive field for the first lap (57.50), then closing on his own at 2:02.89. The mark takes him to third in program history, and he is satisfied with his improvement for the season, as he looks ahead toward tomorrow's races.

Sprinters return for the 200m dash: Washington, Crafton, Parchment, and Cooke all line up to compete over a half-lap. Washington closes in 23.36, painfully close to Jack Keelan's school record of 23.29. He will unfortunately not have another chance to get the mark, as he isgraduating. Sophomore Crafton cracks Bard's top ten with a 24.55; he'll have much time to improve the mark over his remaining two seasons. Same goes for Parchment, who finished in 27.11; though she already holds the school record over the distance, she has been hampered by injury this season. Cooke closes her final Bard 200m in 27.80, a time that would place her third all time, if she wasn't already second all time.

Senior Bo Hopwood lined up with Calvin Thomas for the 3000m steeplechase, Hopwood's last seven and a half laps in a Bard uniform. The pair came through with the field through 600m, splitting a 2:00.47, but fell behind. Thomas sticks on Hopwood until the final leg, ending in 11:14.09 and 11:15.12 respectively. It is a sentimental moment for the steeple siblings, a final race sees the pair give it their all, but unable to scratch either of their personal bests.

Only two true field events transpired today: Ava Gregory throws javelin, and Olamipo Ogunleye jumps for distance. Gregory made the top ten in the event, a promising mark for the first-year, as she threw 29.36m on her second attempt. It's her personal best, and second in program history. Ogunleye's final attempt at long jump ends with a final attempt at a 4.85m launch. 

The first day of Outdoor Liberty Leagues is a sublation of sentimentality and hope. Bard simultaneously moves forward with new talent, and appreciates the retiring of the old guard.

Today was Hopwood's final race, as he caps off seven semesters and four years of service to Bard XCTF. Nevertheless, Bard returns tomorrow to finish Outdoor Liberty Leagues in Canton, N.Y.

Women
Heptathlon 200m
Kai Roper 30.02 PR

Heptathlon 100m Hurdles
Kai Roper 22.95

Heptathlon High Jump
Kai Roper 1.19 (3-10 ¾) 

Heptathlon Shotput
Kai Roper 6.37 (20-10 ¾) PR

Heptathlon In-Progress Total
Kai Roper 1182

100m
Gabrielle Parchment 12.98

200m
Gabrielle Parchment 27.11
Carina Cooke 27.80

400m
Carina Cooke 1:02.14
Loie Acton 1:04.13 PR

800m
Chloe Desautels 2:40.23 PR

Javelin
Ava Gregory 29.36 PR

Men
100m
Avery Crafton 12.09

200m
James Washington 23.36 PR
Avery Crafton 24.55 PR

400m
James Washington 52.06 PR
Kariuki Massio 53.03 PR

800m
Kariuki Massio 2:02.89 PR

3000m Steeplechase
Calvin Thomas 11:14.09
Bo Hopwood 11:15.12

Long Jump
Ola Ogunleye 4.95 (16-3)