By: Paul Schwartz – Record Sports
PHILADELPHIA – Gio Gutierrez couldn’t wait to throw the shot Friday.
The Saddle Brook senior had set a school record in the discus at a dual meet earlier in the week and as he warmed up for the Penn Relays Invitational Shot put he knew something special might be at hand.
“I knew I couldn’t win because of Jordan Geist so I totally focused on myself and what I had to do. I was loose and all pumped up when I got into the circle,’’ said Gutierrez, the state indoor runner-up in the event.
So on his first throw, Gutierrez went 60 feet eight inches to become just the 21st Bergen thrower over 60 feet outdoors. On a day where Geist, the self-proclaimed “Beast” from Saxonburg, PA set a Penn Relays record of 74-9, Gutierrez held his own on the next few throws, going 60-8 1/22 and 60-9 before a huge finish of 62-8 ¾, seventh best throw in Bergen County history.
That gave Gutierrez a fourth place medal and a huge smile.
“All the throws today felt big,’’ said Gutierrez, whose fifth best throw Friday of 58-7 was a foot further than his previous best. “I just felt so comfortable every time I got in the circle.’’
In the past 30 years only Nigerian Olympian Stephen Mozia of Hackensack has a better high school throw than Gutierrez with the other all-time greats throwing in the 1970s and 1980s.
Gutierrez realizes that despite his big breakthrough, there is a lot of season left and a lot left to accomplish.
“This is amazing but I think I can keep getting better,’’ said Gutierrez. “I’m not going to relax.’’
Shot put: 4. Gio Gutierrez, Saddle Brook, 62-8 ¾ (also had throws of 60-8, 60-8 ½ and 60-9).
Additional results:
4-x-100 relays (place in heat in parentheses):Bergen Catholic (1, 42.72); Fort Lee (2, 43.56); Ridgewood (2, 43.78); Englewood (5, 44.23); Don Bosco (6, 44.45); Cresskill (5, 44.46); Hackensack (8, 44.65); Kennedy (7, 44.66); Paramus Catholic (3, 45.04); Ramapo (4, 45.10); Teaneck (6, 45.41); Hasbrouck Heights (6, 45.58); Secaucus (6, 45.91); River Dell (6, 45.92); Pascack Hills (7, 46.00);Dwight-Englewood (4, 46.16); West Milford (5, 46.48); Saddle Brook (8, 46.64); Indian Hills (8, 46.89); Rutherford (9, 48.12).
