Baton Rouge, La. – The LSU track and field team came away from Saturday’s Joe May Invitational with 11 event titles at Bernie Moore Track Stadium against stout competition in nearly perfect weather conditions, with the exception of a few windy races.
Dorian Camel had a dominant day in the short sprints as he won gold in the 100 meters and finished second in the 200 meters. Camel ran a season best of 10.12 in slightly windy conditions to move up to No. 5 on the national list in the event this season in the NCAA; he took second in the 200 meters with a big personal best of 20.31. He was the top collegiate finisher in the 200 meters behind current world champion Christian Coleman who won with a time of 20.25.
Amber Hart had herself a day as she registered a pair of personal bests in both the discus and shot put. She started her day off with a win in the discus after throwing the implement a career best distance 175’ 3” (53.42 meters). That mark was the fifth best in LSU history. She returned to the shot put ring a few hours later and PR’d in that event with a throw of 53’ 1” (16.18 meters) to move up to No. 5 on the LSU list in that event as well; she finished third in the shot put.
Amber Anning won her second straight event title in the 400 meter dash as she sprinted to victory with a winning time of 52.13. Doria Martingayle won the 1,500 meter run in a personal best time of 4:35.11 to win her first career collegiate title, and freshman Michaela Rose won her LSU debut in the 400 meter hurdles with an impressive starting time of 57.62; Rose’s 57.62 currently ranks No. 7 in the NCAA.
LSU had five other field event titles on the day led by three from the jumps group and two from the throwers. Serena Bolden notched the top spot in the women’s long jump with a career best mark of 20’ 7” (6.27 meters). Abigail O’Donoghue (high jump/6’) and Lisa Gunnarsson (pole vault/14’ 5.50”) were the other jumpers to get victories. Tzuriel Pedigo won the men’s javelin with a heave of 232’ (70.73 meters), and Jake Norris won the hammer with a season best heave of 230’ 3” (70.20 meters) to move up to No. 6 in the NCAA this season.
The women’s 4×400 meter relay was the final event title for the Tigers as the foursome of Favour Ofili, Amber Anning, Michaela Rose, and Garriel White ran their race in a time of 3:29.88 for gold and the No. 7 time in the NCAA this year.
Favour Ofili ran a blistering personal best in the 100 meter dash to earn silver in the event. She clocked a time of 11.00 to earn second behind Kentucky’s Abby Steiner (10.92). Ofili’s readout of 11.00 helped her defeat LSU alumnas Aleia Hobbs and Mikiah Brisco. The time of 11.00 ranks No. 4 in the NCAA and the world this year, and it moves her into the No. 7 spot on the LSU list. It’s also the fifth fastest wind legal time ever run by a Nigerian in the 100 meter dash. Ofili also split 50.16 as the leadoff leg on LSU’s 4×400 meter relay.
John Meyer opened up his LSU outdoor account on Saturday with a pair of second-place showings. He first tossed the discus a personal best distance of 161’ (49.08 meters) for silver. He then returned to action at the shot put ring and launched a throw of 65’ 2.25” (19.87 meters). That mark of 65’ 2.25” elevates him to the No. 2 spot on the outdoor list for shot put at LSU.
Da’Marcus Fleming improved his season best time in the 100 meters with an NCAA qualifying time of 10.14 seconds to finish in second behind Camel. That mark rates him as the ninth fastest in America this season. In addition to winning the 400 meter dash, Amber Anning collected the bronze medal in the 200 meters with a time of 23.43. Garriel White (400m hurdles/58.28) and Gwyneth Hughes (3,000 meters/10:26.05) finished second and third in their respective events on the track.
Three of LSU’s high jumpers all finished with the same clearance of 6’ (1.83 meters). O’Donoghue won the event based off fewest misses. Nyagoa Bayak (third) and Morgan Smalls (fourth) helped LSU to three of the top four spots in the event; the clearance of 6’ by all three LSU women ranks them tied for ninth in the NCAA. On the men’s side, Ronnie Rounds cleared a bar of 6’ 9” (2.06 meters) in the high jump for a third place finish.
Eli Gaughan threw the javelin a distance of 217’ 11” (66.44 meters) to finish as the runner up behind his teammate Pedigo.
LSU’s women’s 4×100 meter relay of Alia Armstrong, Leah Phillips, Tionna Beard-Brown, and Favour Ofili teamed up for a season best of 42.69 to take second in the event. The time moves them up to No. 3 in the NCAA.
PRs
- Cade Martin – 1,500 Meters – 3:53.61
- Garrett Hamilton – 1,500 Meters – 3:54.63
- Jackson Martingayle – 1,500 Meters – 3:59.90
- Alia Armstrong – 100 Meters – 11.43
- Callie Hardy – 800 Meters – 2:11.96
- Sara Funderburk – 800 Meters – 2:12.17
- Isiah Travis – 800 Meters – 1:53.58
- Aaron Smith – 200 Meters – 21.66
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