Johnson Breaks UM 800m Record at Florida Relays
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – For the second consecutive day, a Miami Hurricane broke a school record at the 2018 Pepsi Florida Relays.
Senior Sean Grossman set the tone with a school record in the 5000m on Thursday night, but it was a talented freshman that carved her name into the Miami track and field record book on Friday.
Kayla Johnson continued her outstanding debut season, winning the women’s 800m with an NCAA-leading and school-record time of 2:03.92 that is fastest in the U.S. this season. Johnson broke Thandi Stewart’s record time of 2:04.06, set in 2014.
Alfreda Steele turned in another outstanding performance in the 200m, finishing third in the collegiate invitational section with a personal-best time of 23.22 seconds. The sophomore also led a trio of Canes in the women’s 100m, finishing fourth overall with a personal-best time of 11.58 seconds.
Kristina Knott was 13th in the women’s 100m at 11.75 seconds, while Symone Mason placed 18th with a time of 11.81 seconds. Myles Valentine finished 15th in the men’s 100m with a personal-best time of 10.54 seconds.
Two Hurricanes were in the top 10 in the women’s 400m hurdles, as junior Samantha Gonzalez finished third with a personal-best time of 58.49 seconds and Tiara McMinn was 10th with a time of 1:00.67. McKinly Brown finished ninth in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 52.24 seconds.
The Canes had a pair of women finish in the top 20 of the women’s 100m hurdles. McMinn finished 12th with a time of 13.56 seconds, while Michelle Atherley was 16th with a season-best time of 13.68 seconds.
Anne den Otter finished 29th in the women’s 1500m with a season-best time of 4:35.10.
Miami’s men’s 4x400m relay finished second in Heat 2 and 17th overall in the preliminaries, as Brown, Valentine, Breon Mullins and Ibrahim Dodo combined for a time of 3:14.57.
Kevin Arreaga continued his strong freshman season with a mark of 69.33m, finishing fifth in the men’s invite hammer throw.
Zakiya Rashid finished eighth in the women’s invite discus with a throw of 50.02m.
Debbie Ajagbe posted a personal-best mark of 51.03m to finish 16th in the women’s hammer throw. Sherry Lubin was 17th in the women’s discus with a mark of 41.42m.
The final day of competition opens at 11 a.m. on Saturday with the men’s discus invite.
Fans can follow the meet via live results by clicking HERE or watch a live stream of the action by clicking HERE for Friday’s action and HERE for Saturday’s events.
Following this weekend’s action, the Hurricanes will return home for consecutive meets at Cobb Stadium. Miami will host the Hurricane Alumni Invitational on April 6-7 and the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational on April 14. To view the complete Miami Track and Field schedule for the 2018 season, click here.
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