Naloti Palma unleashes her New England championship and school record setting throw in the discus. (Photo by Mickey Curtis)
WESTFIELD – Westfield State University sophomore Naloti Palma (Westborough, Mass.) turned in a big-meet performance as she won the discus and placed fourth in the shot put at the All-New England women’s outdoor championships at Jerry Gravel Track and Field Facility on Saturday, May 10.
Palma’s fourth place in the shot put was expected, but her discus championship was a stunner. She was seeded 11th heading into the top-flight competition and completely
shattered her own school record by nearly 10 feet by unleashing a throw of 145-2. Her previous school record was 135-4.
The record-setting heave came on her third and final throw in the preliminary round. It was easily her best throw against the Division I, II and III athletes. Palma won by six feet as runner-up Genevieve Rybicki of the University of Rhode Island threw 139-2.
Palma continued to develop consistency in the shot with her fourth place throw of 44-9, approximately nine inches shy of her school record. Sacred Heart’s Kolbi Smith dominated the shot put with a heave of 49-3.
