April 01, 2008
world leading times set by the Texas A&M track and field team this past weekend at the Florida State Relays were honored by the Big 12 office today as Porscha Lucas and the men?â„¢s 4 x 100 relay were selected as athletes of the week.
Lucas, a sophomore from Plano, Texas, earned Big 12 Women?â„¢s Outdoor track and field Athlete of the Week for setting a meet and facility record while establishing a world leading time of 11.20 seconds in the 100 meters. Lucas lowered her own career best from an 11.42 set last season in winning the race and she broke a 24-year-old facility record at Mike Long Track, bettering an 11.27 set by FSU?â„¢s Randy Givens in 1984.
During the FSU Relays Lucas also ran the second leg of the Aggie women?â„¢s 4 x 100 relay, which lowered its world best time to 43.18 and also shattered a 24-year-old facility record of 43.90 set by Florida State in 1984. Joining Lucas on the sprint relay were Elizabeth Adeoti, Simone Facey and Gabby Mayo.
The men?â„¢s 4 x 100 relay unit of senior Richard Adu-Bobie (Orleans, Ontario), freshman Gerald Phiri (Sheffield, England), junior Chris Dykes (Houston, Texas), and junior Justin Oliver (Stone Mountain, Ga.) earned the Big 12 Men?â„¢s Outdoor track and field Athlete of the Week honor.
The A&M foursome defeated defending NCAA champions Florida State on their home track with a world-leading time of 39.17 seconds. The Seminoles were runner-up in 39.38 as the Aggies broke the meet record of 39.57 set by FSU in 2007.
Texas A&M begins competition in the 81st Texas Relays on Wednesday with Trinity Otto (decathlon) and Sarah Pierson (heptathlon) competing in the multi-events. Action begins at noon and admission is free the first two days of the meet. Competition will continue through Saturday at Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus.