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LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Virginia track and field team began competition for the 2011 season today at the Liberty Kick Off in the Tolsma Indoor Track Center. Seven Cavaliers won their events in the only competition for Virginia before the New Year.

Seniors Adams Abdulrazaaq and Kristin Chapman led the Cavaliers on the track, each winning their respective 60m hurdles events, while freshman Leo McLaughlin won his first collegiate title in the 60m dash. In the field, juniors Vincenzo Chiariello and Erin Wykoff swept the weight throw competition for the Cavaliers, while sophomore Emily Vannoy won the shot put and freshman Emily Kianka claimed the high jump title.

Chapman ran a personal-best 8.68 in the finals of the 60m hurdles to take top honors and mark the program’s sixth-fastest time in the event. On the men’s side, Abdulrazaaq – the school record holder in the 60m hurdles – finished first in 7.88, while he also finished fourth in the 60m dash in a personal-best time of 6.94 – the program’s seventh-best mark. McLaughlin won the event and tied the program’s fourth-best finish in the 60m dash – running 6.89. Jarrett Hagwood also ran 6.89 in 2002 for the Cavaliers.

In the prelims of the 60m hurdles, freshman Aaron Shepperd won his heat in 8.38 to crack into Virginia’s all-time top-10 times, earning the 10th-best mark.

Chiariello threw just shy of his personal-best in his season-debut, tossing 60’7.75″ to win the men’s weight throw and Wykoff earned a personal-best mark of 54′ 6.5″ to win the women’s competition. Wykoff’s throw improves her fifth-place mark in Virginia’s record books.

In the shot put, Vannoy threw 47′ 7.75″ to win the event, while Wykoff finished runner-up with a toss of 42′ 4.75″. On the men’s side, freshman Thomas Fuson also finished runner-up with a throw of 47’10”.

In the high jump, Kianka and sophomore Pearl Bickersteth finished first and second, respectively, each clearing 5′ 7″.

Virginia will take a break for finals and the holidays before reconvening after the New Year to head to Blacksburg, Va., on Jan. 14-15 for the Virginia Tech Invitational.

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