Andrea Jameson
Contributing Writer
The women’s track and field team placed first with a dominating team score of 155.75 as four players posted personal records and eight Racers broke two Murray State records at the Margaret Simmons Invite.
Freshman Teliyah James, junior Rachel Hagans, senior Jumyia Denning, and sophomore Lucia Herrero Yanez broke the previous record in the 4×100 relay with a running time of 45.34, placing first for the Racers.
In the 4×800 freshman Kayla Bell, sophomore LaMiah Campbell, junior Dani Wright, and sophomore Amirr Evans dismantled the previous record time of 9:25.00, set in 1989, and placed first with the new program-record time of 9:09:43.
Senior Jabreuna Brimlett took first place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.06. Freshman Nia Scott came right behind her in second place with a time of 14.50, establishing her new personal record.
Junior Rachel Hagans set a personal record of 5.80m in the long jump for the Racers.
“Rachel Hagans in the long-jump did very well to jump over 19 feet is one of those barriers that people want to break,” said Head Coach Adam Kiesler.
In the 400-meter event, LaMiah Campbell finished fourth with a time of 57.86 seconds, her new personal record. During the 100-meter dash, sophomore Kenia Seals took the gold as she finished first with a time of 11.91 seconds.
The 800-meter event featured Evans taking first place with a time of 2:19.44.
The 200-meter hurdles highlighted several Racers, as sophomore Kenia Seals finished second in an event with a time of 24.52 along with James in third at 24.82 and Yanez in fourth place at 24.97.
Senior Jessikha Ribeiro finished the heptathlon event in second place with a score of 4333. Contributing to her overall second place in the event, she recorded 1.55m in the high jump, 10.31m distance in the shot put and 5.24m in the long jump. Sophomore Meghan Fletcher set a new personal record in the heptathlon event with a score of 4080 as she finished third out of eight competitors. Fletcher also took home first place in the high jump at 1.80m.
“Jessikha did really well this time of year going from event to event and focusing on each one at a time as she placed,” said Kiesler.
The women’s track and field team will travel to Cape Girardeau to compete in the Joey Haines Invite on Friday, April 2, and Saturday, April 3.
