Edison High’s track and field team took first place at the Demarest Invitational, finishing with 62 points. Competing against several schools across the state, Edison athletes achieved personal records and placed in multiple categories.
At their first meet for the winter track season, Edison performed well across the board, standing out in sprints and distance races and placing highly in relay and field events.
“The first meet is always the most nerve-wracking yet exciting race of the season,” said Anna Weng ‘26. “I was pleased with the time I ran but like any other race, I wanted to run faster. I am excited to see the times my team and I are going to race by the end of the winter season.”
In the 55-meter dash, Ama Boateng ‘25 ran a personal record (PR) 7.90 seconds in the preliminary round. She followed this up in the finals by securing a sixth-place finish, ending with a time of 7.95 seconds. In the 300-meter race, Moustafa Abdelaal ‘25 finished fifth with a new PR of 38.22, while in the 600-meter event, he placed first with a PR of 1:26.02.
Edison also had a strong performance in distance events, with Mark Palladino ‘25 placing fifth and sixth in the 3000-meter run. Additionally, Nikolaus Schneider ‘27 ran a PR of 9:55.49 for the 3000m varsity final.
“Since it was the first race I didn’t know where my fitness level was,” said Nikolaus Schneider ‘27. “But I went out comfortably and finished strong which put me in position for a medal.”
Joseph Pinheiro ‘25 came in second in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.01 seconds. The field events also brought in points for Edison, with Emmanuel Akimbo ‘25 clearing 6–0 in the high jump to earn second place and a PR. In the pole vault, Michael Swen ‘27 placed second with a new PR of 9–6.
Relay events contributed significantly to Edison’s success. The boys’ 4×400 relay team (Joseph Pinherio ‘25, Kwadwo Boateng ‘27, Bryce Hickerson ‘26, and Moustafa Abdelaal ‘25), secured a second-place finish with a time of 3:38.12, while the girls’ 4×400 team (Grace White ‘25, Emina Kapo ‘27, Janiyah Brown ‘25, and Ama Boateng ‘25) also finished second with 4:30.15.
“This was my first meet for the Eagles, and I was very happy to get a chance to compete with my fellow trackmates in the 300 Meter,” said Sanjit Mandava ‘26.
The meet marked the first varsity race for several athletes, all delivering promising performances. Mandava placed fifth among the Edison boys in the 300 Meters, finishing with a time of 41.36.
“Winning the Demarest meet for the first time was truly an honor and it made us realize the potential we have to have a great season,” said Moustafa Abdelaal ‘25. “There’s still work to be done but winning the meet is a good sign.”
With a strong start to the season, Edison’s track and field team looks to continue building momentum at future meets.
