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Feb. 13, 2008
NEW YORK, N.Y. - At one of the premier collegiate track and field events in the country, the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) did not disappoint. The individuals who competed posted some impressive times and finishes in the large fields and along the way three runners, Tanisha Wisdom, Allodin Fothergill and Amon Kiprotich set new school records. Wisdom has dominated the track at almost every meet she has shown up at this season. This New York meet was no different. Wisdom ran a blistering qualifying time in the 400-meter dash, leaving a field of 112 other runners in her dust. She posted a new school record 53.57 in the qualifying heats and with it topped her provisional qualifying record for the NCAA Championships set earlier this season. She took third in the finals with a time of 53.68. It was a little slower, but still impressive, considering the large field. She was bested by just two runners, Jessica Beard of Texas A&M who ran a 53.02 and Brandi Cross from South Carolina who posted a 53.14. On the men's side of the 400-meter dash Fothergill was also dominant. He ran the second fastest qualifying time of the meet with a 46.83, setting the school record and provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Championships. In a field of 123 runners Fothergill would take third overall in the finals, posting a time of 47 seconds flat. His qualifying time is the fastest in the MEAC this season in the 400-meters. The men's 400-meter dash also saw three other Hawks post solid times. Freshmen-sensation Paul Jones-Burden was 66th, Deter Miller was 84th and Corey Alexander was 89th in the field of 123. Kiprotich also set a nee school record I the 3000-meter run, posting a time of 8:34.83. His time placed him 32nd out of 58 runners. Taking the gold medal at the meet was Celia Whyte who bested a field of 69 runners in the women's 800-meter run. She posted a 2:11.30 in the contest and took the gold by almost a whole second. In the men's 800-meter run senior Clayton James placed 18th in the 80 man field. He posted a time of 1:55.49. In the men's 5000-meter run Peter Sang took tenth in the field of 22 with a time of 15:18.87 In the women's 800-meter run Merrecia James took 13th in a 22 woman field with a time if 2:11.78. On the field side of the meet James Moore posted a jump of 1.99 meters (6'6.25") in the high jump. That was good enough for the 13th overall in the field of more than 20 jumpers. In the women's shot put Saisha Woodward was 36th with a throw of 12.70 meters (41' 8"). The only team to compete was the women's 4x400 meter relay who took 10th in an 18 team field with a time of 3:46.29. While part of the team was in New York, more competitors went south to Virginia Beach, Va. to face off in the Christopher Newport University Vince Brown Invitational. In the women's one mile run UMES took 10th and 11th place respectively with Tamica Thomas (5:20.32) and Betty Chumbe (5:23.88) representing the Hawks. In the 3000-meter run Janeth Chelangat was 17th in the field of 33. She crossed the line with a time of 11:11.53. Rashida Beckford competed in the high jump for the Hawks and took sixth place with a judges decision. She posted a height of 1.55 meters (5'1"), the same as the fourth place competitor. In other women's field events Cori Otey was eighth in the long jump with a distance of 4.72 meters (15'6"). I the shot put, UMES, as they have all season, dominated. Joycelyn Wheeler (12.33 meters), Soledad Maurice (12.32 meters), Tiona Long (11.90 meters) and Demetria Staten (10.94 meters) took four of the top ten sports, coming in third, fourth, fifth and tenth respectively. On the men's side Thomas Keane-Dawes took ninth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.20 and posted a fifth place finish in the 400-meter run with a time of 50.91. UMES competes this weekend in the MEAC Championships this season. Both the men and women took second place last season and after capturing both cross-country titles already this year UMES hops to move up one spot for the team finish. The Championship are held in Landover, Md. |
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