Tutton Captures Women’s Pole Vault Title, Gasparini and Smith Earn Silver

Friday, May 10

Atlanta, Ga.

All Day

Duke University

Day Two at ACC Outdoor Championships

Gemma Tutton celebrates after winning ACC pole vault title

Photo by: Zach Zunt

Tutton Captures Women’s Pole Vault Title, Gasparini and Smith Earn Silver

5/10/2024 10:33:00 PM | Track & Field

Day 2 Results (PDF)Photo Gallery

ATLANTA, Ga. – Freshman Gemma Tutton's ACC title in the women's pole vault and silver medals by graduate student Marten Gasparini and senior Brianna Smith were the highlights of another stellar day of competition for Duke track and field at the ACC Outdoor Championships.

Along with the three medals, the Blue Devils totaled 10 All-ACC honors overall, pushing their weekend total to seven medalists and 17 all-conference accolades. Additionally, Duke saw seven more athletes secure their spots in the finals of their respective events.

With eight events scored, Duke heads into the final day of the conference meet in first place in both the men's and women's standings with 58.33 and 48 points, respectively.

TOP PERFORMANCES

The stoutest performance of the day was delivered by freshman Gemma Tutton, who made her ACC Outdoor Championship debut one to remember as she claimed the gold medal in the women's pole vault behind a personal-best showing.
After passing on the first two heights, Tutton cleared the ensuing four bars – two on the first attempt and two on the third attempt. The rookie would finish with a final clearance of 4.37m (14-4 feet) to claim her spot atop the field, improving her No. 3 all-time program mark.
With the win, Tutton became the first Duke woman since Madison Heath in 2017, and just the fifth Blue Devil all-time, to capture the ACC Outdoor title. It also marks the first time in program history that Duke has swept the pole vault events at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
Senior Brianna Smith collected the silver medal and first-team accolades via a career-best showing in the women's heptathlon. The second-place finish was the highest placement of her career in the event at the conference meet.
Smith finished the multis event with 5616 points to finish runner-up and slot herself fourth all-time in program lore. Her Friday performance featured top-five finishes in each of the final three events, including a pair of third-place showings in the javelin (33.18m (108-10 feet)) and 800m (2:16.48).
The Blue Devils locked up a pair of All-ACC accolades in the men's javelin thanks to strong performances by graduate student Marten Gasparini and sophomore Matthew Prebola.
Gasparani set the tone for day, earning the silver medal and a nod to the All-ACC First Team behind his furthest throw of 68.73m (225-6 feet), which came on his second attempt.
Prebola made his ACC Outdoor Championship debut and turned in a personal-best showing on the way to a fourth-place finish and second-team honors, launching the javelin 66.45m (218-0 feet) on attempt number five.
Competing in the men's 3000m steeplechase, Michael Keehan turned in his fastest time of the season while notching second team accolades in the process. The graduate student clocked 8:43.21 to place fifth overall and climbed two spots up the Duke charts into No. 3 all-time.
The women's shot put saw graduate student MaKayla Mason achieve All-ACC Second Team status following her fourth-place finish. Mason made her fifth throw her best of the competition, launching the shot put 16.20m (53-1.75 feet) to register a new season's best while simultaneously improving her No. 2 all-time program mark by over a foot.
Ezra Mellinger picked up All-ACC Second Team honors in the men's long jump following a personal-best showing, with the graduate student leapfrogging two spots up the Duke charts in the process.
Mellinger produced his furthest leap on his fifth attempt and flew out to 7.80m (25-7.25 feet) to place fifth overall – the mark checking in at No. 2 all-time at Duke.
Michael Bennett grabbed second-team all-conference status behind a sixth-place finish in the men's decathlon, with the junior finishing competition with a personal best of 7108 points. Bennett's Friday performance was headlined by a win in the 1500m.
Junior Katie Hamilton and sophomore Gianna Locci rounded out the group of Duke athletes earning All-ACC accolades on Friday with both individuals tallying second team honors via sixth-place finishes.
Taking part in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, Hamilton shaved nearly 11 seconds off her previous best and clocked 10:19.39 for the first All-ACC honor of her career, while Locci flew out to 6.00m (19-8.25 feet) in the women's long jump.
The Blue Devils advanced two athletes to the finals of the women's 100m hurdles as graduate students Birgen Nelson and Skyla Wilson each turned in steady performances in the prelims to secure their respective spots in the next round.
Wilson secured the automatic berth and improved her No. 3 program mark by clocking a personal best of 13.19 seconds – the fastest time of heat two and third-fastest of the overall field, while Nelson qualified on time with her finish of 13.67 seconds.
Sophomores Julia Jackson and Lauren Tolbert and junior Megan McGinnis each posted strong races in the women's 400m to punch their tickets to Championship Saturday.
Tolbert paced the Duke trio and earned the automatic qualifier with a time of 52.72 seconds – the fastest in heat two and second-fastest of the prelims. Jackson and McGinnis each qualified on time with marks of 53.42 seconds and 53.82 seconds, respectively.
In the women's 100m dash it was junior Abby Geiser who secured her place in Saturday's final with a season's best of 11.43 seconds.
Senior Charlotte Tomkinson was the final Blue Devil to punch her ticket to her event final as she turned in a strong race in the women's 800m, earning the automatic bid with a time of 2:04.96 – the fastest of the fifth heat and No. 3 in the prelims overall.

2024 ACC OUTDOOR MEDALISTS

Simen Guttormsen – Gold (Pole Vault)
Aimar Palma Simo – Gold (Hammer Throw)
Gemma Tutton – Gold (Pole Vault)
Marten Gasparini – Silver (Javelin)
Christian Johnson – Silver (Hammer Throw)
Julia Magliaro – Silver (Javelin)
Brianna Smith – Silver (Heptathlon)

2024 ALL-ACC HONOREES

Marten Gasparini – All-ACC First Team (Javelin)
Simen Guttormsen – All-ACC First Team (Pole Vault)
Christian Johnson – All-ACC First Team (Hammer Throw)
Julia Magliaro – All-ACC First Team (Javelin)
Aimar Palma Simo – All-ACC First Team (Hammer Throw)
Brianna Smith – All-ACC First Team (Heptathlon)
Gemma Tutton – All-ACC First Team (Pole Vault)
Michael Bennett – All-ACC Second Team (Decathlon)
Katie Hamilton – All-ACC Second Team (3000m Steeplechase)
Michael Keehan – All-ACC Second Team (3000m Steeplechase)
Gianna Locci – All-ACC Second Team (Long Jump)
MaKayla Mason – All-ACC Second Team (Shot Put)
Ezra Mellinger – All-ACC Second Team (Long Jump)
Moorea Mitchell – All-ACC Second Team (Hammer Throw)
Matthew Prebola – All-ACC Second Team (Javelin)
Christian Toro -- All-ACC Second Team (Hammer Throw)
Kirstin West – All-ACC Second Team (Javelin)

UP NEXT
The men's high jump (2 p.m.) opens the final day of competition with the women's 4x400m relay (8:40 p.m.) capping the weekend of competitive action. The awards ceremony is slated to follow immediately after.

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