Baylor T&F Opens Michael Johnson Invitational with Two Event Titles

[Pirtle, Colin]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – April 19, 2024

Baylor T&F Opens Michael Johnson Invitational with Two Event Titles
Brown and Haywood win with personal-best marks
For more information contact: Colin Pirtle; 940-564-0351, colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu<mailto:colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu>


WACO, Texas – Baylor track and field opened up the Michael Johnson Invitational on Friday along the Banks of the Brazos River at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium with two event wins in the women’s long jump and the women’s pole vault.



Alexis Brown continued her dominance in the women’s long jump, winning the event with a new personal-best mark that changed the facility and program records before Molly Haywood tabbed her second-straight win in the pole vault.



THE RUNDOWN

For the second time this season, Brown returned to the Hart Track and Field Stadium and left with new personal, facility and program records, all by one centimeter. The senior’s 21-11 ½ won the event ahead of Trinidad and Tobago Olympian, Tyra Gittens. Nikayla Fitzgerald was the next-finishing Bear in the 13th position at 19-1 ½ and Koi Johnson was 17th.



Haywood gave the Bears their second win of the day in the women’s pole vault, clearing a new PB bar of 14-7 ½ for the title. Alencia Lentz was in the bronze-medal position two bars back at 14-3 ¼ and Tenly Kuhn rounded out the top 10 for BU in eighth.



Finishing seventh overall, but second among collegiate athletes, Jasmine Gryne ran a 59.12. Sima Lucero was 12th with a 61-second mark and Audrey Williamson was 27th.



The women’s 200 meters saw the second-fastest time go to Tiriah Kelley with her best time of the outdoor season, a 23.43. Michaela Francois put up a PB in the race, finishing seventh at 23.75 ahead of Summer Sergeant in 24th, Imaobong Uko in 36th, Kourtney Kennard in 63rd and Joy Wells in 75th.



Continuing a strong outdoor season, Rachel Hickey took third in the women’s 1,500 meters with a 4:28.63, and first-semester freshman Ruth Kimeli was also in the top 10 at 4:36.73. Hayden Gold and Jordan Ledington were back-to-back at 19th and 20th, with Rosanna Pugh in 23rd, Amaina Zamorano in 28th and Chloe Gangnath in 30th.



It was a two-PB day for Makayla Long in the hammer throw, as she ended the competition with a 181-4 and 180-2, both of which beat her previous best of 173-9. That effort put her in seventh overall, just behind Victoria Adu in sixth place with a 183-2.



In his last regular-season meet at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium, Ryan Hodge took seventh after 3:53.61 in the 1,500 meters, a mark that was within a second of a new personal best. Freshmen Nolan Keenan and Ben Archer were 25th and 33rd, respectively, and Zach Zawatski was 34th.



De’montray Callis paced the Bears in the men’s 200 meters on Friday evening, going 21.11 to win the third heat and take sixth in the event that was championed by New Mexico Junior College’s Tapiwa Makarawu, the holder of the fourth fastest NJCAA mark of all time. Laurenz Colbert was 12th with Ricquan Graham behind in 35th.



Freshman Parker Brannon had a 16-2 ¾ day in the men’s pole vault, enough for seventh in the event.



Of the three Bears that competed in the men’s long jump, none found a finals appearance, as Trpimir Siroki was 10th for 23-4. George Obote and Nicholas Rodriguez finished 19th and 23rd, respectively.



UP NEXT

The Bears return to the track for Day Two of the Michael Johnson Invitational on Saturday. Head coach Michael Ford will recognize the 2024 senior class on the front straightaway at 10:30 before the first field event kicks off at 11 a.m. The running events start with the 1 p.m. 4x100-meter relay and will be on a rolling schedule due to forecasted weather.



- BaylorBears.com -

_________________________________________
Colin Pirtle | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (WBB, T&F/XC, MTEN)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 940-564-0351

[signature_2230589939]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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