The 2026 USM New Year's Invitational kicked off the track season with an impressive display of athleticism, featuring 15 new state-leading performances across the track and field events. Athletes from all over Maine and beyond competed fiercely, setting new benchmarks in what turned out to be a thrilling day of competition.
Field Events:
The long jump saw Lewiston senior Fernando Kele leap to a state-leading 21-0 ¾ on his third attempt, claiming the victory and setting the tone for the day's big marks. Kele wasn't done there; he followed up with another strong performance in the triple jump, breaking the meet record with a 45-9 ¾ effort.
Over at the pole vault, Edward Little's Thomas Leblanc faced a tense moment when he was down to his final attempt at the opening height. However, he cleared it on his third try, and from there, he cruised to a meet record, personal best, and state-leading mark with a vault of 15-2.
In the girls' long jump, Bangor's Sophia Chase set a new meet record with an 18-1 leap in the final round. Her jump not only secured the victory but also moved her into a tie for the eighth-best jump in state history. Meanwhile, in the triple jump, Marshwood's Sydney Leveille jumped a state-leading 37-4 ½, a personal best that just missed the top ten all-time marks in state history.
Bangor's Jake Bassi capped off a highly competitive shot put with a winning heave of 53-9 in the final round, as the top four competitors all surpassed the 50-foot mark. In the girls' competition, Georgia Kondi of Mascoma Valley, NH, moved into first place on her final attempt, launching a 38-4 throw to secure the victory.
Sprints and Hurdles:
The sprinters had the advantage of competing with spikes for the first time this season, and they made the most of it. In the girls' 55m dash prelims, Anna Jennings of Marshwood took the lead with a state-leading 7.34. In a photo finish in the finals, Yarmouth's Miah Jacobs edged out Jennings with a lean at the line, clocking 7.43 to Jennings' 7.44. In the boys' 55m dash, Bonny Eagle's Drew Gervais put on a show, matching Mason Henderson's 6.63 in the prelims before taking control in the finals with a state-leading 6.54.
In the 55m hurdles, MCI's Angelina Boisvert set the standard, posting a state-leading time of 8.80 in the trials before improving to 8.70 in the finals for the victory. On the boys' side, Devin Berry of South Portland continued his dominance in the hurdles, setting a new personal best of 7.79 in the finals after clocking 7.84 in the trials.
Cheverus' Macey Weisberg was unfazed by running in the second heat of the 200m, setting a new state-leading mark with a winning time of 26.57. South Portland's Bossay Ditanduka capped off an exciting boys' 200m final with a hard-charging 22.75, earning a state-leading mark.
Mid-Distance and Distance:
In the 400m, Timberlane, NH's Charlotte Beaudoin set a new meet record with a state-leading 58.97 in the girls' race, while Gorham junior Jack Cyr powered to a victory in the boys' race, stopping the clock at 51.01 for another state-leading mark.
Marshwood's Henri Rivard continued his solid season in the 800m, breaking the 2-minute barrier with a state-leading 1:59.86 in a competitive field. Rivard's performance led a fast pack, with three other athletes dipping under 2:01.
The two-mile races also produced state-leading performances. In the girls' race, Portland's freshman sensation Nora Schmidt pulled away in the second half to clock 11:20.68, taking the win and setting a new state-leading mark. In the boys' race, Deering's Ellis Wood ran a negative split race, stopping the clock at 9:39.36 for a new state-leading time in the event.
Relays
The 4x800m relay saw Freeport set a new state-leading mark with a time of 10:08.26, with Lucy Huggett anchoring the victory with the fastest split of the day.
It was a day of remarkable performances, with athletes showing their readiness for the season ahead. As the meet wraps up, the state leaders have been set, and it will be exciting to see how these marks hold up over the winter season.
