Track and Field: Gambacorta hopes state medal will make up for missed prom

CONCORD >> In any other year, Nina Gambacorta would compete in the girls Class AAA shot put at the PIAA Track & Field Championships Friday, jump in a car and head back home to attend her senior prom. After the prom, she would head back to Shippensburg to take part in the Class AAA discus.

Many Garnet Valley athletes have pulled off that crazy stunt over the years. It’s what happens when your school has its senior prom on state track weekend.

Gambacorta, though, will have to miss her senior prom thanks to a change in the schedule. The discus used to start at 12:30 Saturday afternoon. This year, though, the event has been moved up to 9 a.m.

“I’d have to leave at like 3 o’clock in the morning to be there on time,”Gambacorta said. “The post-prom doesn’t get over until five so I can’t do it. I wouldn’t have any time to rest.”

While missing the prom is disappointing, the All-Delco thrower hopes to make up for it with a couple of state medals, which is a distinct possibility. She’s seeded sixth in both events after winning the discus and finishing second in the shot put at the District One Championships.

“Being seeded sixth is good,” Gambacorta said. “I feel that I can move up. “I didn’t have my best performances at districts so I feel like I can do better.”

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Garnet Valley’s Nina Gambacorta is hoping that her decision to miss prom will be rewarded with a medal at the PIAA Track and Field Championships this weekend. (Digital First File)