By Lindsay Cash
Reporter
The track and field earned several medals last weekend at the New Balance Invite at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York.
In their two meets prior to last weekend’s, the Bears gained 14 marks in the top-25 of the NCAA and looked to move forward in New York.
The action began Friday morning at Armory, known as one of the world’s fastest tracks because of the fast times often run in its meets. Senior Tiffany Townsend led the Bears with her school record-breaking 60-meter run at 7.27. Townsend’s time ranks in the top 10 in the NCAA this season. Sophomore Gavyn Nero neared a Baylor men’s record, just .01 seconds shy, as he finished the 1,000-meter run at 2:22:39 in Friday’s race.
Freshman Tiffani McReynolds tied her own school record in the 60-meter hurdles and placed sixth in the “championship” section, a section reserved for the fastest collegiate runners that seeds runners based on performances earlier this season. She also finished sixth in the consolation final of the 60-meter dash championship section with a personal-best time of 7.42.
Also on Friday, sophomore Skylar White defeated all other collegiate competitors in the shot put with her mark of 53-9 3/4. Senior high jumper Dess Meek tied for fifth in the college section clearing a bar at 5-7.
On Saturday, the women earned top finishes as well. The 4-x-200 meter relay team placed second as freshman Justine Charbonnet, junior Brittany Carr, sophomore Idia Omogiate and freshman Katy Cranfill teamed up for a runner-up time of 1:39.47. Freshman Robyn Bennett shaved 17 seconds off her personal best in the 3,000-meters, placing sixth in the meet at 9:30.80. Junior Brittany OgunMokun set a personal best in the 800-meters at 2:10.03.
For the men, All-American junior Whitney Prevost placed third in the 200-meters finals at 21.35. Junior Woodrow Randall placed 12th in that event at 21.86. Sophomore Joe Barb grabbed eighth in the championship section 400-meters with a time of 49.30.
The men’s 4-x-400 meter relay team finished only seven-tenths behind the winner for third, at 3:09.67. As for the relays, the men’s team of junior Phil Raaf, senior Logan Roberts, junior Zac Flowers and Nero placed sixth in the 4-x-800 meter relay with a time of 7:35.75.
Wrapping up the weekend put the women in sixth place with 40 points, while the men placed 10th overall with 25 points.
The team travels to Texas A&M when it participates in the Texas A&M Challenge on Saturday at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in College Station.
