Peach Belt Conference Championships Final Results

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Junior Job Kemboi (Eldoret, Kenya) and Clayton State men's and women's outdoor track & field came through in a big way on the final day of the 2015 Peach Belt Conference Championships as the league's premier distance runner earned the individual championship in the 5,000-meters with a record setting performance. The women's program finished 7-of-9 while the men where 9-of-9.

Kemboi, who set the Peach Belt record in the 5,000 last year, shattered his own mark of 15:00.36 by an incredible 10 seconds, posting a time of 14:50.07 to outpace 25 other competitors. It is the second PBC Individual Championship he has claimed this year, earning his first during the cross country season in the fall.

His performance was the first of a number of very impressive outings by the Lakers, including junior Crystal Nelson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) breaking the women's program's oldest record and was good enough for an NCAA Division II Provisional qualification. Competing in the 800-meters, she posted a time of 2:12.16 to finish 2-of-22, but more importantly, broke not only the previous PBC record for the event, but also the record set by the program's first All-American, Joni Guffey, in 2002 (2:13.06).

Joining Nelson in the 800-meters was sophomore Maia Kuhnen (Trier, Germany), who finished 4-of-22 with a time of 2:15.18. That mark also beat the previous PBC record time of 2:15.21.

Also earning an NCAA Provisional was sophomore Rafael Salis (Atlanta, Ga.), doing so with a mark of 1:52.23 in the 800-meters. That time was just four one-hundredths shy of equaling the existing Peach Belt record for the event.

Three more individuals from the women's program would deliver top five performances for Clayton State, headlined by a runner-up outing from freshman Jasmine Roberts (Statesboro, Ga.) in the triple jump. In that event she finished 2-of-15 with a distance of 11.60 meters, falling just 0.05 of the leader.

Also competing in the triple jump was perennial contender junior Jessica Matthews (Monroe, Ga.), who placed 4-of-15 after posting a distance of 11.30 meters. Rounding out the women's top five outings was freshman Chelsy Haynes (Buena Vista, Ga.) finishing 4-of-18 in the shot put with a distance of 11.85 meters.

Closing things out on the men's side was the 4x400-meter relay team of freshman Kenneth Clark (Stockbridge, Ga.), sophomore Geo Mortimer-Green (Snellville, Ga.), Salis and freshman Eric Williams (Fayetteville, Ga.). That group delivered a time of 3:19.00 to finish 3-of-9.

"We had several impressive performances on the final day of competition from Crystal [Nelson], Jasmine [Roberts], Rafael [Salis] and Job [Kemboi]," said head coach Mike Mead. "We did well in most of the events we had folks entered. Adarion Watson also qualified for the 100-meter final but we had to pull him following an injury during the 200-meter prelims. Crystal and Rafael were quite impressive in their respective 800-meter races as both ran NCAA provisional times and are closer to a trip to the outdoor championships next month. I was also pleased with our 4 x 400 meet teams and all of those who hit season or career-bests in this meet."

As a result of top three finishes in their events, Clayton State earned a total of eight individual All-Peach Belt Conference honors on the day from Kemboi (First-Team, 5,000-meters), Salis (Second-Team, 800-meters, Third-Team, 4x400-meter Relay), Nelson (Second-Team, 800-meters), Roberts (Triple Jump), Clark (Third-Team, 4x400-meter Relay), Geo Mortimer-Green (Third-Team, 4x400-meter Relay) and Williams (Third-Team 4x400-meter Relay). Additionally, senior Ciaran Lane (Dunagan, Ireland) earned Third-Team honors in the 10,000-meters with a 3-of-16 performance on Day 1 of the Championships.

The Lakers will next be in action when a select number of men's student-athletes will compete at the 49th Annual Hillsdale College Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Mich. From April 23-25 while. For the women, their next action will come in Charlottesville, Va. At the Virginia Grand Prix on May 8.

CLAYTON STATE MEN'S COMPETITORS – SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Kenneth Clark – 400-meters (6-of-9, 49.72), 4x400-meter relay (3-of-9, 3:19.00)
Job Kemboi – 5,000-meters (1-of-26, 14:50.07)*
Marcus Lafleur – 800-meters (22-of-25, 1:59.10)
Ciaran Lane - 5,000-meters (11-of-26, 15:39.98)
Karmon Mason – Triple Jump (9-of-16, 12.85m)
Geo Mortimer-Green - 400-meter Hurdles (8-of-12, 57.12), 4x400-meter relay (3-of-9, 3:19.00)
Cale Pirtle – 5,000-meters (20-of-26, 16:27.15)
Rafael Salis – 800-meters (2-of-25, 1:52.23)^, 4x400-meter relay (3-of-9, 3:19.00)
Eric Williams – 400-meters (19-of-24, 51.49), 4x400-meter relay (3-of-9, 3:19.00)

CLAYTON STATE WOMEN'S COMPETITORS – SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Abiane Collymore - 800-meters (10-of-22, 2:21.27)
Ashley Cunningham – 400-meters (9-of-9, 58.90), 4x400-meter relay (4-of-9, 3:56.09)
Taylor Galvin – 5,000-meters (13-of-26, 19:08.68)
Chelsy Haynes – Shot Put (4-of-18, 11.85m)
Latrese Hubbard – Shot Put (10-of-18, 11.85m)
Maia Kuhnen – 800-meters (4-of-22, 2:15.18)**, 4x400-meter relay (4-of-9, 3:56.09)
Jessica Matthews – Triple Jump (4-of-15, 11.30m)
Holly McNorton – 5,000-meters (24-of-26, 22:08.38)
Crystal Nelson – 800-meters (2-of-22, 2:12.16)**^#, 4x400-meter relay (4-of-9, 3:56.09)
Jasmine Roberts – Triple Jump (2-of-15, 11.60m)
Shanice Walker – 400-meter hurdles (6-of-11, 1:05.43), 4x400-meter relay (4-of-9, 3:56.09)
*Indicates Broke Previous PBC Record
**Indicates Broke Previous PBC Record (Broken By Other Competitors)
#School Record
^NCAA Division II Provisional Mark