@MiamiTrack Sets Records at McCravy Memorial
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Miami track and field program closed out its stay at the Rod McCravy Memorial Meet with a pair of record-setting performances.
Shakima Wimbley broke the Miami school record in the women’s 400m with a time of 51.82 seconds. Wimbley, who finished second, posted the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season. The sophomore vaulted to the top spot on Miami’s indoor 400m list, passing former record holder Krista Simkins (51.95), Dominique Darden, Ginou Etienne, Charlette Greggs and Ti’erra Brown.
John-Patrick Friday set a new men’s indoor triple jump record with his personal-best mark of 15.77m. Friday, a junior who earned a third place finish in the men’s triple jump on Saturday, originally claimed the UM record a week ago at the Nittany Lion Challenge. But the talented jumper, who placed fifth in the men’s high jump with a mark of 2.04m yesterday, added three-tenths of a meter to his record mark.
“One of the things we are looking for each week is improvement and we got that this weekend,” Director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “Shakima and JP proved today that they can compete with the best.”
While Wimbley and Friday were the biggest standouts in orange and green Saturday, several Canes had strong performances.
Freshman Henri Delauze won Heat Four in the men’s 400m with a time of 47.68. Delauze, who placed 11th overall, posted the third-best indoor 400m time in UM track history. Junior Kelsey Balkwill placed second in Heat Five and 16th overall in the women’s 400m with a time of 54.67.
Senior Thandi Stewart finished fifth in the women’s 800m run with a time of 2:09.29 that ranks fifth in school history, while fellow senior Taneisha Cordell posted a time of 2:14.14 to place 21st.
Miami’s women’s 4x400m relay of Balkwill, Cordell, Wimbley and Stewart combined to place fourth with a season-best time of 3:34.88. The men’s 4x400m relay of Joseph Ryan, Robert Grant, Anthony Wolliston and Delauze combined to run a season-best time of 3:12.78 that ranks fourth in UM history.
“Our men’s 4×4 is young, but they are getting better each week and that’s all you can ask for,” Deem said. “The women’s 4×400 ran faster this week and I know we can run even faster in the next few weeks.”
Junior Alexis Wright qualified for the final in the women’s triple jump, where she placed ninth with a new personal-best mark of 12.00m. Freshman Niara Hill just missed a spot in the women’s triple jump final, placing 10th with a personal-best mark of 11.98m.
Men’s throwers Gian Piero Ragonesi and Daniel Polinski represented the Canes in the shot put. Ragonesi posted a season-best mark of 17.05m, while Polinski’s best throw of the day cleared 15.70m.
Miami is back in action in two weeks at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet. The two-day meet will take place on Feb. 7-8 in Blacksburg, Va., on the Virginia Tech campus.
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