April 11, 2009
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Los Angeles - Lining up against an international field of sprinters didn't faze the Aggie 4 x 100 relay team as they sped to a 39.13 victory on the final day of the Rafer Johnson / Jackie-Joyner Kersee Invitational on the UCLA campus Saturday.
It was one of four victories Texas A&M added to previous four wins they attained during the meet to total eight for the weekend. In addition, the Aggies posted the top collegiate finish in seven of Saturday's Invitational events that included professional entrants.
Running with a line-up of Chris Dykes and Justin Oliver in the sprint relay, the Aggies held off the challenge from the World Class club team in second place (39.28) as well as Prime Techniques (39.51) and HSI (39.62).
The World Class squad consisted of Craig Everhart, Kerron Clement, Rodney Martin and Shawn Crawford. Clement was a silver medalist in the 400 hurdles at the Beijing Olympics while Crawford earned silver in the 200.
The A&M women's 4 x 100 also challenged an international field and led the race until the final step across the finish line. The Aggie foursome of Elizabeth Adeoti, Porscha Lucas, Allison George and Dominique Duncan posted a time of 43.47 while the World Class team won in 43.46 with Olympic 200 silver medalist Allyson Felix on the anchor leg.
Also running for the World Class squad were Dawn Harper, Michelle Perry, and Virginia Powell. Harper claimed the 100-meter hurdle Olympic title in Beijing while Perry won the 100 hurdle World Championship title in 2007. Finishing third in 43.58 was a crew comprised of Candice Davis, Carmelita Jeter, Mikki Barber and Torri Edwards.
Sandy Wooten finished sixth in the race with a 54.73.
Beard also ranks fourth in the world for the 2009 season and second in the U.S. On the A&M all-time list Beard's mark is the No. 5 performance. It was her first race over 400 meters since her NCAA Indoor runner-up performance in a school record 51.77.
Allison George claimed the women's 100 title in 11.40 with Cal's Cherrelle Garrett runner-up at 11.41. Khrystal Carter finished third in 11.69 while Duncan, who hesitated at the start from what appeared to be a false start by Garrett, placed sixth with an 11.93.
Vashti Thomas returned to her native California and led a 1-2 A&M finish in the women's triple jump by reaching a distance of 41-8.5 (12.71) with teammate Tiffany Peters hitting a mark of 41-5.25 (12.62) for runner-up honors. Thomas, a three-event California State champion as a senior for Mt. Pleasant High School in San Jose, claimed the winning mark in the sixth and final round.
Tyron Stewart also used the final round in the men's triple jump to surpass teammate Melvin Echard and claim the top collegiate finish with a mark of 51.8.25 (15.75). Echard led the collegians with a 51-6.25 (15.70) and improved to 51-7 (15.72) in the sixth stanza before Stewart produced the slightly better mark.
Ronald Carter won the event with a leap of 52-4.75 (15.97) while James Jenkins was runner-up with a 52-0 (15.85) jump. A&M's Keenan Hall placed seventh overall and was the fourth collegian in the event with a mark of 50-3.5 (15.33).
Chris Dykes were the top collegiate finishers in the 200 meters. Lucas sprinted to a 23.23 clocking behind a 22.59 by professional Carmelita Jeter.
Dykes, meanwhile, posted a 21.03 to follow the 20.93 winning mark by A&M volunteer assistant Kelly Willie. Former A&M All-American Tyron Edgar, who competed in the Beijing Olympics for Great Britain, finished third in the men's 200 with a 21.21.
The women's 200 also included a 23.43 from George in third place as Gabby Mayo ran 23.72 for fifth place. Carter won the first heat in 23.77 and placed sixth overall while Adeoti ran 24.29 to finish 10th overall.
Wrapping up the track events with the 4 x 400 relay, the Aggie men's foursome of Justin Oliver (45.9) traded the lead with a World Class relay squad. The World Class unit claimed the win in 3:06.85 while the A&M crew was runner-up in 3:07.09.
In the women's 4 x 400 the Aggies placed fifth with a 3:42.57 as they ran a quartet of Sandy Wooten and Tiffany Singleton. Wooten posted the fastest split among the crew with a 54.0
The men's 110 hurdle race produced a win for A&M volunteer assistant Aries Merritt, who had to rally for a 13.62 victory over Ryan Wilson's 13.63. Aggie De'Lon Isom placed third in 13.89 as the top collegiate finisher.
Gabby Mayo finished third in the women's 100 hurdles, but as the top collegian, with a 13.51 clocking behind Yvette Lewis (12.96) and Andrea Bliss (13.06).
Anteneshia Lindsey threw the discus 162-4 (49.47) for runner-up honors. Stanford's Michaela Wallerstedt won the event with a 164-2 (50.04) mark. A&M's Deidre Tarver placed fifth with a 144-5 (44.01) while Emalie Humphreys finished seventh with a 135-5 (41.29). Lindsey also placed fourth in the shot put with a toss of 44-1.25 (13.44).
In the long jump Ashika Charan placed third in the women's competition with a leap of 19-2.75 (5.86) while Yasmine Regis finished fifth with an 18-5.25 (5.62) mark. Zuheir Sharif taking fifth at 23-1.5 (7.04).
Seth Lowery finished tied for sixth with a mark of 6-6.75 (2.00).