Simon Elfrink
Sports Editor
Murray State track and field posted seven personal records on Friday, April 16, and Saturday, April 17, when the Racers competed in the Vandy Black and Gold Invite.
The competition was highlighted by a new program record in the 4×100-meter relay race, which was previously set by senior Jumiya Denning, freshman Teliyah James, sophomore Lucia Herrero-Yanez and junior Rachel Hagans. The same team broke Murray State’s record earlier on in the season, only to shatter their own fastest time. The new record of 45.14 seconds let the Racers place second in that competition behind Ball State’s squad by the thinnest margin possible: one-hundredth of a second faster.
Junior JaKayla McSwain, Herrero-Yanez, freshman Kayla Bell and graduate D’Myia Thorton also competed in the 4×400-meter relay. The Racers finished with a time of 3:45.85.
Hagans found more success on the track with a personal best in the 200m dash, crossing the line at 24.48 seconds. Sophomore Kenia Seals also posted a PR of 24.32 in the 200m event.
The Racers also had distance runners represent their team in the 1500-meter and 5000-meter events. In the 1500m, junior Dani Wright recorded a time of 4:44.14. Sophomore Amirr Evans trailed Wright at 4:48.11.
In the 5000m, junior Emma Creviston finished at 18:08.99 while sophomore Jessica Stein crossed at 18:27.65.
In the field events, sophomore Meghan Fletcher continued to dominate in the high jump competition. Fletcher took first place with a height of 1.71m. Hagans found more success in the long jump, placing second at 5.76m.
The Racers will compete in the last regular season meet of the year on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, in the Kentucky Open in Lexington, Kentucky.
