(Editor's Note: Vincent Biunno was a stranger to the heptathlon event prior to his freshman season in college. However, after a couple of meets in which he has competed in the event, he is no longer a stranger and is quickly evolving into one of the top competitors in the Northeast-10 Conference.)

By Dave Sweet
Athletics Student Feature Writer

The heptathlon is a track and field event unlike any other. It’s two days long, requires short and long distance sprints, hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, and even pole vault. For most athletes—even the most experienced—that is a tall task. Vincent Biunno is not most athletes.

“I didn’t want to be that one guy running just the 400 meters,” he said. “I just wanted to do all of the events and have fun with it. I’d probably get bored otherwise.”

Biunno speaks confidently for such a newcomer. Not only is he a freshman, but some elements of the heptathlon are totally new to him.

“I’ve never even pole vaulted before this year,” he said. “But I knew I could learn it pretty easily. My first meet at Harvard I jumped 8-foot-6. Then I worked on it for two weeks, came to Tufts and jumped a 10-foot-6 out of nowhere.”

Biunno called training for the heptathlon “mentally and physically grueling.” He had to arrive back from winter break a week earlier than the rest of the team to take part in three-a-day workouts. Every day the same routine: running, hurdle/high jump practice, and then strength and conditioning. During the season he consolidates the routine into two-a-days. “I do a little bit more,” he said. “But it’s worth it.”

Biunno says the work he’s put in so far has been worth the time and effort. He narrowly missed qualifying for nationals by about 70 points (a small amount), which is beyond where he expected to be at the beginning of the season. In the off-season he’ll focus on progressing his abilities in the pole vault and shot put.

“I had a 200 point PR for my Harvard meet.  Then I had a couple PRs in other events, and faulted in a few events, which cost me nationals. But as far as where I rank among freshman in the country—I’m pretty proud of that.”

Off the field, Biunno double majors in history and education. He wants to be a high school history teacher and coach track. 

“There was this one time one of my high school teachers let me teach class for a week. Ever since then I kind of thought that’s what I wanted to do. Plus then I could stay involved with track through coaching. That sounds like a pretty perfect situation to me.”