Track Excels on Day One of Bob Pollock Invitational
CLEMSON, S.C. – Miami track and field finished day one of the Bob Pollock Invitational with two top five finishes in the women’s weight throw.
Senior Debbie Ajagbe earned a third place finish in the event with a mark of 18.89m to finish third, while junior Hannah-Sophia Hall finished just behind in fourth with a mark of 18.42m.
On the men’s side, senior Kevin Arreaga finished third, overall, in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 19.84m. Sophomore Jeffrey Williams finished 12th with a 16.06m.
Sophomore Russell Robinson finished out the field events of the first day of competition in the men’s long jump. Robinson placed fourth with his jump of 7.23m.
The track stayed hot all around as graduate student Alfreda Steele ran a season-best 60m dash time of 7.26 to finish second, which also ranks currently as the fifth-fastest time in the NCAA. Sophomore Jacious Sears was just behind her in third with her season-best time of 7.30 seconds.
A pair of freshmen finished in the top 10 of the women’s 400m. Moriah Oliveira finished second with a time of 55.41, while Blanca Hervas finished sixth with a time of 56.20.
Miami was represented in five of the seven men’s 400m heats, with freshmen Solomon Strader and Ramy Berberena posting top-10 times. Strader finished sixth overall in his first collegiate 400m race with a time 47.66, while Berberena rounded out the top 10 with a time of 48.32.
Rounding out the event, freshmen Oskars Bambals, Jalen Gordon and Tyler Gould posted times of 49.51, 49.63 and 49.67, respectively.
Sierra Oliveira continued to have a strong start to her freshman campaign, setting a new mile personal-best time of 5:11.19. Fellow freshman Natalie Varela made her collegiate debut and finished with a time of 5:17.91.
On the men’s side, sophomore Andrew Madden also recorded a new personal-best time in the mile at 4:19.66, shedding nearly two seconds off his previous best.
Junior Tiara McMinn and sophomore Lauryn Williams rounded out the first day of competition in the women’s 60m hurdles finals. McMinn finished tied for third with a time of 8.20 in her opening race of the season, while Harris made her Canes debut with a seventh-place finish at 8.40 seconds.
The last day of the Bob Pollock Invitational starts tomorrow with the women’s shot put at 10:30 a.m.
