Perhaps the biggest victory at the Emporia State Spring Open on Saturday was for Alex Linsey, junior, and Kyle Pfitzenmeier, junior, threw javelin in their first meets of their college careers. The two were sidelined the previous two seasons with elbow injuries. After undergoing “Tommy John’s” surgery, both men are back and ready to continue getting better.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to do this and it felt good to get back on the run way,” Linsey, a business administration major, said.
Linsey was only six feet from a new personal record.
“I’m a little disappointed in my performance, but I know there’s better days ahead. I just need to be more relaxed and trust it a little better,” Linsey said. “My elbow’s not quite there. I didn’t think it’d be this bad, but I just have to re-strengthen it and get back to the basics.”
Pfitzenmeier said waiting two years to throw wasn’t easy, but that it helped them both.
“It helped us work on our form and it just felt good to be back out there with our teammates,” Pfitzenmeier, a marketing major, said. “I was pretty happy with my throw today. It was a PR and a provo mark. I think I still got quite a bit in the tank, but for the first meet back I was pleased.”
Steve Blocker, head coach, said he was pleased with the athletes’ dedication in the program.
“It was great to see them throw again. They have overcome so much,” Blocker said. “Most guys would have quit, but they did not. I am so happy for them and proud to have them in our program.”
Other highlights for the Hornets included Peyton Weiss, junior, winning the long jump and hitting a provisional mark. Sara Dunkin, senior, placed fourth in the women’s javelin, which saw it’s top eight finishers hit provisionals, and the ESU men swept the relay’s winning both the 4x100m relay and the 4x400m relay.
“Our team overall did a great job,” Blocker said. “I think for this early in the year. They competed very well and it is a sign of good things to come. There were a lot of personal records and I am very proud of the whole team.”
Both the men and the women are set to compete in a 40-team meet this Saturday at Welch stadium for the ESU Relays, Emporia’s biggest home meet of the season.