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Dorival, Alonzo are top stars at the Holmdel International
By tim morris
Staff Writer
 | | VERONICA YANKOWSKI Freehold’s Jonas Tepaske waits his turn at the pole vault at the Holmdel International Track and Field Meet on Wednesday. |
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Dudley Dorival and Daniel Alonzo are both looking forward to international competition this year.
For New Jersey native Dorival, it would be business as usual, while for the Dominican Republic’s Alonzo, it would be a dream come true.
Both began their quests with wins at the 17th Annual Holmdel International Track and Field Meet held on the Bob Roggy Memorial Field at Holmdel High School.
Dorival, a native of New Jersey (who competed for Ewing High School) who represents Haiti, internationally, won the Harrison Dillard 110-meter high hurdles, edging Aubrey Herring of Indianapolis (last year’s Holmdel winner) at the line, 13.48-13.49.
"I felt good tonight," said Dorival. "It was a good race technically."
Dorival won a bronze medal at the 2001 world championships after finishing seventh at the Olympic Games in 2000. Dorival’s goals are the World Championships in August in Paris, with the long-term goal of a medal at the 2004 Games in Athens.
Alonzo loves coming to the Holmdel International. This was his fourth win in five tries at the Bob Roggy javelin. For Alonzo, the Roggy javelin is special because of Roggy.
"I like this meet," said Alonzo. "I feel something special for the guy (Roggy)."
Roggy would have proud of the 38-year-old’s dedication to the javelin. Alonzo injured his back during the winter and friends were telling him it was time to hang it up.
"The javelin is my life," said Alonzo who does his training at Cook Field in Yonkers. "I want to qualify for the Pan-American Games. I have to throw 72 meters and I think I’ll get there."
Alonzo threw 210-10 yards in Holmdel on a slick grass run-up. On a graded run-up he is confident that he will reach 72 meters (233-11).
Alonzo would like to join Dorival as an international competitor. He has never qualified for the Pan-Am Games and he knows that this year may be his final opportunity to fulfill his life-long goal. What makes it even more special for Alonzo is the fact that the Dominican Republic is hosting this year’s championships the first week of August. He considered his effort at Holmdel a good start toward Santo Domingo (site of the Pan-Am Games).Former Monmouth University All-American Jon Kalnas, also competing for the Shore AC, won the men’s shot put with a best throw of 59-2 3/4.
Ocean Township’s Adam Sarafian was able to vault with the big boys last Wednesday and set a personal best of 15-0. A week after finishing third at the NJSIAA Outdoor Meet of Champions, Sarafian reached the 15-0 mark for the first time and tied for second place in the Dog Bragg Pole Vault.
"I really needed to do 15-0 this year," said Sarafian. "I’m pretty happy."
Sarafian had another motivation last Wednesday, it was his grandmother’s birthday. He promised her he’d do 15-0, and he delivered.
Adam Bingham won the pole vault on fewer misses.
Former MOC champion Jonas Tepaske of Freehold Borough, who just completed his freshman year at the University of Connecticut, was fourth at 14-6.
Another ex-Shore area star, Manchester’s Ian Hahn, had a good night in Holmdel. Hahn, who now competes for Penn State, won the Eamonn Coghlan One-Mile in 4:08.99.
Former Christian Brothers Academy stars Nat Glackin (4:15.45) and Tom Falvey (4:4:16.09 were fifth and seventh, and ex-Holmdel standout Craig Segal, eighth (4:16.21).
The only meet record of the evening went to Gina LoMonaco in the women’s discus. Her 166-9 spin bettered the old mark of S155-4 set by Sue Piekarz in 1998.
Among the other winners on the night were: Jason Bernstein, Francis Kipkuna Memorial 3,000 (8:20.92); Keith Kreiger, Marty Liguori Boys’ High School Mile (4:32.08); Kristin Farley, Casie Kerr Memorial Girls’ High School Mile (5:19.47); and Rafal Kazmierczak, Mike Pascuzzo Men’s High Jump (6-10 3/4).
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