The month of May has been extremely positive – and productive – for Chico State women's distance runner Quetta Peinado. The sophomore from Santa Maria, fresh off an All-CCAA showing in the conference's annual track & field championships, followed up that effort with a fourth place finish and an NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark in the 5,000-meter run during Saturday's West Coast Last Chance Open. Her big-time performance makes Peinado the latest Wildcat of the Week.
Peinado stopped the clock Saturday at 17:18.95, beating her previous personal best in the event by nearly 16 seconds. By earning the NCAA Provisional mark, Peinado now has a chance to qualify for the upcoming NCAA Track & Field Championships in Allendale, Mich.
"Quetta has encountered a lot of injuries and setbacks over the year," Chico State distance coach Gary Towne said of Peinado, who also ran cross country in the fall. "We worked on some things and made some adjustments to make her stronger and more resilient, and she worked hard to finally put herself in a position to end the season on a high note."
Saturday's effort at San Francisco State's Cox Stadium was just the latest in a series of season successes for Peinado. Earlier in the year, at the Chico Distance Carnival, she notched a PR in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:44.75.
At the CCAA Track & Field Championships, Peinado teamed with fellow Wildcat Ayla Granados to post two of the top three finishes in the 5k, giving Chico State the points it needed to clinch the program's fifth straight women's team conference crown.
