MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Clayton State outdoor track & field delivered several impressive performances, including one of record setting levels, on Day 1 of the 2015 Peach Belt Conference Championships on Thursday, April 16.
Highlighting the day's outings was sophomore Adarion Watson (Stockbridge, Ga.), who posted a school record time of 10.77 in the 100-meter preliminaries. That mark not only obliterated his own personal best of 11.10, it was the third fastest time among the 22 competitors and earned him a spot in the finals at 1:35 p.m. (EST) on Saturday. The time eclipsed the previous mark of 10.80 set by seven time NCAA Division II National Qualifier Eric Simmons in 2008.
Joining him on the men's side was freshman Kenneth Clark (Stockbridge, Ga.) with a time of 49.46 in the 400-meter prelim. That was good for a 5-of-24 finish and advances him to the finals at 1:20 p.m. on Saturday. Senior Ciaran Lane (Dunagan, Ireland), who posted a career-best time while delivering a 3-of-16 finish in the 10,000-meters (31:54.82) with a methodical approach throughout the race. Junior Job Kemboi (Eldoret, Kenya) closed out the men's top performances as he notched a sub-four minute 1,500-meter time (3:59.30) to place 8-of-31 in the final of that event.
The women were led by sophomore Maia Kuhnen (Trier, Germany), who finished 6-of-22 in the 1,500-meters with a time of 4:49.40. Junior Ashley Cunningham (Douglasville, Ga.) also had a strong showing, placing 6-of-17 in the preliminaries of the 400-meters (58.41). With that time, she will advance to the finals at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday.
Also in the 1,500-meters, junior Taylor Galvin (Posen, Ill.) shaved an incredible 12 seconds off of her career-best with a mark of 4:53.95 to place 10-of-22 while junior Abiane Collymore (Trinidad & Tobago) took more than four seconds of her personal best, notching a time of 4:58.24 for a 16th place finish.
Final results for the women's long jump were not available at press time. Both junior Jessica Matthews (Monroe, Ga.) and freshman Jasmine Roberts (Statesboro, Ga.) were slated to compete and were expected to be among the top competitors. Results for that event will be added as they become available.
"It was a pretty good first day, especially considering less than favorable weather," said head coach Mike Mead. "Ciaran [Lane] ran a great race to post a personal best, Adarion [Watson] broke a seven year old program record and we had two young women in Taylor Galvin and Abiane Collymore that shattered their previous personal best times in the 1,500."
The Lakers are back in action tomorrow when they return for Day 2 of the 2015 Peach Belt Conference Championships tomorrow. Events on tap that Clayton State is slated to compete in include discus (W – 6 p.m. EST), high jump (M -3 p.m./W -5:30 p.m.), 4x100-meter relay (M -5:45 p.m./W -5:30 p.m.) and 200-meters (M – 7:15 p.m./W – 7:25 p.m.).
CLAYTON STATE MEN'S COMPETITORS – THURSDAY, APRIL 16
Kenneth Clark – 400-meters - Prelim (5-of-24, 49.46)-Q
Matthew Manning - 400-meters - Prelim (20-of-24, 51.52)
Troy Hickom – 1,500-meters (26-of-31, 4:12.23)
Job Kemboi – 1,500-meters (8-of-31, 3:59.30)
Marcus Lafleur – 1,500-meters (22-of-31, 4:07.73)
Ciaran Lane - 10,000-meters (3-of-16, 31:54.82)
Karmon Mason – Long Jump (16-of-20, 5.98m)
Geo Mortimer-Green - 400-meters - Prelim (17-of-24, 50.17)
Cale Pirtle – 1,500-meters (24-of-31, 4:09.91)
Rafael Salis – 1,500-meters (21-of-31, 4:07.71)
Jaleel Waldron – 100-meters - Prelim (13-of-22, 11.24)
Adarion Watson – 100-meters - Prelim (3-of-22, 10.77)-Q
Eric Williams – 400-meters - Prelim (19-of-24, 51.49)
CLAYTON STATE WOMEN'S COMPETITORS – THURSDAY, APRIL 16
Abiane Collymore - 1,500-meters (16-of-22, 4:58.24)
Ashley Cunningham – 400-meters (6-of-17, 58.41)-Q
Freda Ezeokonkwo – 100-meters - Prelim (19-of-19, 13.33)
Taylor Galvin – 1,500-meters (10-of-22, 4:53.95)
Maia Kuhnen – 1,500-meters (6-of-22, 4:49.40)
Jessica Matthews – Long Jump (Results Unavailable)
Jasmine Roberts – Long Jump (Results Unavailable)
Shanice Walker – 400-meters (12-of-17, 59.90)
