HICKORY, N.C.- Carson-Newman track and field swept the podium in the women's long jump during the first day of the 2024 SAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships this afternoon, May 1.
"I'm really proud of the team today. Our women competed and fought hard today," head track and field coach David Needs said. "Our long jumpers were outstanding, sweeping the event again. Kadidja and Sydney delivered, and Brooke Taylor came up with a big jump in her last attempt to get third. I'm so proud of that group. It makes it even more special to know how Brooke Visser has recovered from a serious injury all year and was still able to find a way to score".
Kadidja Sangare become a SAC Champion in the women's long jump with a 5.93-meter leap. Teammates Sydney McCarty (5.85 m) and Taylor (5.80 m) finished second and third in the event respectively. Visser grabbed the No. 8 spot with a 5.36-meter performance. Camden Fritz placed ninth in the men's long jump with a 6.95-meter leap.
Sangare went on to finish fourth in the women's javelin throw with a 34.78-meter mark in the event. Kellie Ivens finished 12th with 25.85 m, and Itzel Ayala-Renteria grabbed 13th with 25.49 m.
Amine Kasmi finished first in the men's 200 dash prelims in 21.02. He grabbed a national qualifying time with his performance. Lucas Besong finished 13th in 21.70.
In the women's 400-meter dash prelims, Tytiana Wilson finished fourth in 56.32 to grab a provisional qualifying mark in the event. Myke'Lah McMiller also snagged a provisional mark in 58.03 to finish eighth in the prelims. Besong finished 10th in the men's 400-meter dash prelims in 48.93. Taylor Dupler finished 17th in 50.32.
Shemar Patten and Jeremiah Carroll competed in the men's 110-meter hurdles prelims. Patten finished seventh with a provisional qualifying time of 15.06, and Carroll grabbed eighth in 15.13, another provisional mark. During the women's 100-meter hurdles prelims, Sangare finished third in 14.01 seconds. She finished with a national qualifying time in the event. In the 400-meter hurdles prelims, Lauren Tabor finished sixth with a provisional qualifying time of 1:06.42.
Colton Lee (4:00.67) and Brent Borden (4:00.79) finished 15th and 16th in the men's 1,500-meter prelims. In the women's prelims, Jenna Pittman finished 16th in 4:56.52.
Sade De Sousa finished third in the women's 100-meter dash prelims in 11.60. De Sousa earned a national qualifying time with her performance. Janaya Davis-Gainer finished 11th in the prelims in 12.23. In the men's 100 dash prelims, Patten finished 16th in 10.89, and Dawson Jones grabbed 18th in 10.93.
"We really had great buy-in from our ladies," Needs said. "They ran well with the promise of better things in the finals".
In the 800-meter run prelims, Garrett Wilson finished 12th in 1:55.65. Teammate Raymond Brugmans finished 17th in 1:56.90. Pittman finished 13th in the women's prelims in 2:24.69. Borden finished 22nd in 1:59.76, and Christian Henry grabbed 23rd in 1:59.79.
"Both Garrett and McKenna really ran strong and executed smart strategy," Needs said. "I enjoyed many of the races our freshmen ran. It was also great to see Christian run sub-two minutes in the 800. He ran an all-time best, and we have six men running the 800 in under two minutes this season".
McKenna Spaulding grabbed ninth in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase in 12:27.92. Katie Smock ran the women's 10,000-meter race and finished 12th in 39:15.01.
In the men's hammer throw, Ian Salyer placed 13th with a 40.58-meter performance. James Duncan grabbed 14th in the men's javelin throw (39.78 m), and Matthew Bretscher finished 12th in the men's pole vault with a 3.62-meter mark.
"Today we saw the last races from some of our valued seniors, and the memories of their time here will not only be of them as athletes, but all of their contributions off the track too," Needs said. "Now, we need to be better tomorrow and take care of our opportunities".
The second day of the 2024 SAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships is set to begin tomorrow, May 2 at 11:00 a.m. Live stats can be found HERE. Stay up to date on cneagles.com.
