BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU track and field team opened up the 2024 season at home on Friday at Carl Maddox Field House.
Entering the meet everyone had the 60 meter and the 60-meter hurdles circled as both events were stacked with the best talent in the nation and in the world.
Bowerman Watch List member, Alia Armstrong, kicked off her indoor campaign strong on Friday as she opened the 60mh semifinals with a time of 8.10 seconds, leading the field heading into the final later on. In the final the New Orleans native followed it up with a nation-leading time of 8.05 seconds to take gold. The time of 8.05 is .16 seconds faster than her previous best season opener of 8.21 in 2022.
The Tigers got a tremendous introduction to one of their newest additions to the team in Myles Thomas on Friday. The sophomore stormed out to a time of 6.65 seconds in the semifinals, which tied for eighth in LSU performance-list history. He went on to follow that time up with 6.61 in the final, which ranks fourth in LSU PL history and in the nation. After his first meet Thomas is now .10 away from the LSU record, held by Olympic sprinter Richard “Torpedo” Thompson.
LSU alum Aleia Hobbs is picking up right where she left off last indoor season. Hobbs stormed out to what was the world-leading time of 7.12 seconds in the 60-meter semifinals, and then quickly followed it up in the final with a new world lead of 7.11. Last year she ended the American record holder with a time of 6.94 seconds to win the USATF indoor title. She will undoubtedly be looking to improve that record by setting the world record this season.
Also in the women’s 60 meter was the freshman Aniyah Bigam who turned some heads in the semifinals and final. Bigam opened up in third with a time of 7.38 seconds in the semifinals, just behind a couple of alumni in Hobbs and Mikiah Brisco. She then followed it up finishing third in the final with a time of 7.40.
In the men’s hurdles was Netherlands own Matthew Sophia putting on a show for the home crowd. Sophia took fifth in the semifinals and second in heat one after crossing the line with a time of 8.18 seconds. In the final, Sophia let out a roar as he crossed the finish line with a time of 7.77 seconds to take gold. His time of 7.77 seconds ranks fifth in the nation after today’s meets.
The men’s and women’s long jump saw the Tigers sweep gold. Morgan Smalls took first on the women’s side after reaching a distance of 6.13 meters (20’ 1.5”) on her sixth and final jump. All four jumps Smalls landed during the series would’ve won the event. On the men’s side Ji’eem Bullock won with a distance of 7.42 meters (24’ 4.25”), which he reached on his second leap of the afternoon.
In the mile Lorena Rangel-Batres led a 1-2-3-4-5 finish for the Tigers after going 4:49.14. Closing out the top five in the one mile was Michaela Rose (4:49.20), Montana Monk (4:51.24), Callie Hardy (4:52.70), and Ella Chesnut (4:55.39).
Personal Bests
Jevan Parara threw a personal-best of 61’ 6.25” in weight throw.
Michaela Rose ran a personal-best time of 4:49.20 in the one mile.
Ella Chesnut ran a personal-best time of 4:55.39 in the one mile.
Sophie Martin ran a personal-best time of 5:05.33 in the one mile.
Ambria Langley threw a personal-best of 44’ 8.25” in weight throw.
Leah Acosta threw a personal-best of 40’ 11.5” in weight throw.
Isaac Onuoha jumped a personal-best height of 6′ 6.75″ in high jump.
Aniyah Bigam ran a personal-best time of 7.38 in the 60m.
Tima Godbless ran a personal-best time of 7.77 in the 60m.
Taylor Fingers jumped a personal-best distance of 18’ 11.75” in long jump.
Kaiya Key jumped a personal-best distance of 15’ 11.5” in long jump.
Jaiden Reid ran a personal-best time of 6.70 in the 60m.
Katie Johnson ran a personal-best time of 5:15.68 in the mile.
Annie Fink ran a personal-best time of 5:24.68 in the mile.
Rhen Langley ran a personal-best time of 4:11.87 in the mile.
Hugh Carlson ran a personal-best time of 4:19.49 in the mile.
Rob Buisson ran a personal-best time of 4:22.12 in the mile.
Casey Goetschel ran a personal-best time of 4:25.29 in the mile.
Svenya Stoyanoff ran a personal-best time of 5:10.97 in the mile.
Montana Monk ran a personal-best time of 4:51.24 in the mile.
Up Next
LSU will be heading to Lubbock, Texas, for the two-day Corky Classic January 19-20.
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