Florida State University Athletics
Hammer Time Highlights From Kanuchova, Tirado
4/18/2019 8:04:23 PM | General, Men's Track and Field, Track and Field
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – As tone-setters go, Florida State senior Brandon Tirado was on point in Thursday’s Mt. SAC Relays hammer competition. In the opening event of three days of competition for the Seminoles, Tirado unleashed the No. 2 throw in school history.
It was a fine start to a day that was about to get better.
Four hours later, Veronika Kanuchova announced her return to elite status on the opening throw of the women’s invitational hammer section. The junior from Slovakia, who missed all of last season due to injury, unleashed a record-breaking mark on her first throw of the day.
Kanuchova took down her two-year-old school record with a throw of 67.21 meters (220-6); her longest mark since the 2016 season and comfortably beyond her previous record of 66.06 meters (216-8).
“This is going to help me go and throw even further,” said Kanuchova, who was fifth at the 2017 NCAA Championships. “It’s something I can jump from. This throw shows me I’m still able to throw far.”
Competing against a field of professionals and collegians, Kanuchova finished fourth, and was the second collegian behind UCLA’s Alyssa Wilson. Teammate Nadia Maffo finished fifth with a top throw of 61.22 meters (200-10).
She moved to No. 5 nationally and reclaimed the top spot in the ACC.
“It’s coming together, like I was before,” Kanuchova said. “I’m healthy. I’m able to do a lot of things I was not able to do last year. “I know the big throw is there. On the right day, with the right momentum, it will come soon.”
While Kanuchova is attempting to get back to the level where she once resided, Tirado is hoping to ride his new personal-best to even greater heights in his final season.
His longest mark of the day – 64.80 meters (212-7) – was precisely one meter shy of Horatio Garcia’s 1987 school record, and six feet further than his previous lifetime-best.
“When I released it, it felt like a solid throw,” Tirado said. “I didn’t necessarily know it was 64.80, and then I heard it. I was like, ‘OK, if that felt that nice, what’s left?’…The feeling was effortless; it felt really, really smooth.”
It was a major breakthrough for the one-time high school discus standout, who picked up the hammer as a freshman for the first time.
“Coming in four years ago having not even touched a hammer, and getting to here now, it’s been a long learning process,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of help from Coach [Dorian] Scott and Markindey [Sineus], who I consider my mentor, and just other voices.
“It’s kind of nice to be able to showcase the athletes I always knew I was. It’s been a long, humble process, but I glad I was finally able to get it out before my time here is over.”
Best of all, the mark comes early enough in his final season to build on the momentum.
Mircheva Rolls; One of Three Distance PBs
Senior Militsa Mircheva, competing in the top section of the Bryan Clay Invitational women’s 5,000-meter run, shed 25 seconds from her all-time best Thursday night at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
Mircheva finished sixth in 15:45.97, the second-fastest time in Florida State history, securing a spot in the NCAA East Preliminary meet. The Bulgarian’s time ranks among the top 12 nationally and trails only Hall of Famer Vicky Gill (15:42.40) on FSU’s all-time list.
Mircheva was one of three Noles to record a 5000-meter personal best on the opening night of competition at Azusa Pacific.
Freshman Elizabeth Funderburk (16:14.82), who joined Mircheva in the fast section for her 5000 collegiate debut, ran 16:14.82 and narrowly missed a spot in the all-time top 10.
Addison Coggins lowered her previous personal-best by 18 seconds, placing third in her heat in 16:33.14).