Pitt
Golden Flash Gala
Track and Field has Successful Opening Weekend at Kent State
12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
KENT, Ohio – Numerous first place finishes and personal-bests highlighted the University of Pittsburgh track and field efforts on the opening weekend of the season at the Golden Flash Gala.
“It was a very productive weekend,” head coach Alonzo Webb said. “In track it is normally the standard to be running your best after the third or fourth meet, but we had numerous PRs this weekend so that was encouraging to see. We feel good about where we are at heading into the New Year.”
Sophomore Alyssa Wise had a standout performance for the Panthers as she claimed victories in the 60 and 200 meter dash.
In the 60, she had the top qualifying time in prelims with a 7.68, and then posted a 7.61 in the finals to defend her title as she won this same event as a freshman last season.
Wise then ran an indoor personal-best in the 200 meter dash and won the event in a time of 24.92, which was eight tenths of a second ahead of Kent State’s Jorian Ordway at 25 seconds flat. Pitt’s Dominque Watkins placed fifth in the same event with a time of 25.27.
In the men’s 200 meter dash, senior Christopher Tate posted an ACC qualifying time of 21.72 which was good for third place overall. He also qualified for the finals of the 60 meter dash and placed sixth overall (7.08).
Elsewhere, First Team All-American Desmond Palmer started off his indoor season with a pair of personal records, including a 47.17 and a first place finish in the 400 meter dash, and a 7.95 and a third place finish in the 60 meter hurdles. It was the first time Palmer has gone under eight seconds in the 60 meter hurdles.
After qualifying third in the prelims of the women’s 60 meter hurdles, senior Khadeja Kearney won the event in the finals in a photo finish against Kent State’s Arbria Williams. Kearney just crossed the line ahead of Williams in a time of 8.76.
In the distance events, Pitt took places 2-4 in the women’s 1,000 meter run, led by Anja Weiler who ran a 3:04.12, followed by Rachel Mueller (3:05.77) and Olivia Berry (3:10.77). The Panthers also took places 2-7 in the mile and were paced by Erin O’Connell in second (5:17.85).
On Friday, Andrew Wells placed second overall in the weight throw and was the top collegiate finisher with a distance of 21.25m. In the women’s weight throw, Racquel Williams placed fifth with a PR of 16.84m, and followed that up on Saturday with a fourth place finish of 14.66m in the shot put.
Also on Friday, Madison Brannon notched a massive personal record in the women’s 5,000 meter run and took third place overall in a time of 18:39.75.
The Panthers are off until January 9th when they resume action at the Penn State Relays.
