Track competes well in Vanderbilt Invitational during break

Story by John Morris, Staff writer

Murray State track and field tested its horsepower against a variety of competition over winter break.
The team competed at the Commodore Invite in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday and a variety of competition at Vanderbilt on January 15-16, 2016. Murray State was led by the freshmen and improvement by the upperclassmen, when the Racers competed in the Vanderbilt Invitational last year.

Swieton
Swieton

“It was a very similar meet. It is just nice to compete a little closer to home,” Head Coach Jenny Swieton said.

Swieton expressed that she was pleased with where the team seems to be at this point in the season.

“We are in a good place, there is still work to do but I am happy with where we are starting from,” Swieton said.

The Racers made some positive strides with the upperclassmen meeting and besting some personal records and the freshman starting off well.

The Racers strong weekend had some stand out moments and good results to build on.
“The group that ran the 200 meter did very well,” Swieton said. “Tamdra Lawrence had a really good meet,” Sweiton said. “The 4×800 [meter] and Brittany Bohn also had a good start.”

Freshman sprinter, Tamdra Lawrence led the Racers in the 60 meter as she finished in seventh with a time of 7.63 seconds. Sophomore jumper and hurdler, Taylor McCammon ran a season best 7.93 seconds. Sophomore sprinter, Deja Rodgers finished with a time of 7.98 seconds. Freshman sprinter, hurdler and jumper Jabreuna Brimlett finished her race  8.04 seconds in the 60 meter.
In the 400 meter, freshman sprinter and hurdler, Jocelyn Payne 1:00, sophomore sprinter, Anna Curlin 1:00 minute and junior sprinter and hurdler Taylor Adcock set a season-best time in the event by finishing 1:01.
In the 800 meter junior Tia Weston finished with a time of 2:21. Senior distance runner, Kimmy Siebert finished with a season-best time of 2:43.
In the mile run, senior distance runner Brittany Bohn led the Racers as she finished tenth with a time of 5:03. Senior distance runner, Ali Hester (5:09) and junior mid distance runner, Emily Evans (5:52) ran season-best times in the event. Freshman distance runner Ida Mutai set a personal record as she ran 5:30.
Freshman high jumper Aubrey Main competed in the high jump. She cleared 1.56 meters (5’1.25”).
Freshman thrower Christina Meinhardt competed in the shot put. Meinhardt finished twelfth with a throw of 11.00 meters (36’ 1.25”). Sophomore thrower Darcy Sullivan also competed in the shot put, throwing 8.74m (28’ 8.25”).

Nicole Ely/The News Taylor McCammon, sophomore hurdler and jumper hurdles in practice.
Nicole Ely/The News
Taylor McCammon, sophomore hurdler and jumper hurdles in practice.

The Racers had two teams compete in the 4×400 meter relay. The team, made up of Payne, Lawrence, Brimlett, and Curlin, finished with a time of 4:01. The team composed of junior sprinter Victoria Yocum, Adcock, Weston and Rodgers finished with a time of 4:08.

Swieton also noted that focus and teamwork were key for future success.
She wants the team to do the little things that it takes to be great.
Overall, Swieton thought it was a good weekend for her team, especially for the freshmen.
“They look good; you never know how freshmen will handle the competition but they did well. We are trying to get fit for OVC,” Swieton said.

After running with the variety of competition the Racers will be back in familiar territory in the next meet.

The Racers will be in OVC territory in their next meet on Jan. 22-23 at Eastern Illinois. The Racers will be back in action Friday at the John Craft Invite in Charleston, Illinois.

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