Robinson Breaks 28-Year Program Record

Robinson Breaks 28-Year Program Record

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Russell Robinson broke a 28-year long jump program record to close out the opening weekend of the Hurricane Invitational for the Miami track and field team.

Horace Copeland held Miami’s record in the event with a mark of 7.87m, which he set in 1992. Robinson’s personal-best mark of 7.99m was good for a first-place finish and currently ranks as the second-best mark in the NCAA.

“That’s a huge record for Russ,” director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “Considering Horace set that record at the beginning of my coaching career, it was really cool to see that record broken today. For it to come all together for Russ at home in front of his teammates and some family is huge. It’s been coming for a while now and it’s great to see him put it together.”

Debbie Ajagbe, the 2021 Indoor ACC shot put champion, picked up right where she left off in the ring, winning the outdoor shot put with her personal-best mark of 16.37m. The PB also improved her previous mark in Miami’s all-time top five list in the event.

Close behind, Selina Dantzler finished second with a mark of 15.49m, graduate student Zakiya Rashid closed out the top three with a mark of 14.09m and Michelle Atherley started her day with a mark of 11.56m.

On the men’s side, Jeff Williams’ mark of 16.94m was good for another first-place finish at the Hurricane Invitational.

Lauryn Harris made her home meet debut, winning the women’s long jump with a mark of 6.00m. Kevin Snyder finished fourth on the men’s side with a mark of 7.02m, while Trey Austin competed for the first time this season in the men’s triple jump, finishing with a mark of 13.45m.

The distance team heated up on the track with personal best times flying off the board. Senior Emma Langlois boasted a 14-second personal-best time in the women’s 1500m to win the event, while freshman Natalie Varela also recorded a personal-best time of 4:38.73 to finish second. Rosalba Cabrera’s 12-second personal-best time set her up for a fifth-place finish (4:48.35) and Morgan Johnson closed out the competitors on the women’s side with her own personal best of 4:48.53.

Both of Miami’s men in the 1500 also boasted personal bests with Colin Wilson just edging his previous time at 4:11.13 to finish first, while Thomas Betters finished second at 4:17.06.

Atherley and Harris each competed in their second events of the day in the women’s 100m hurdles, finishing first and second, respectively. Atherley posted a time of 13.14 seconds an Harris finished just behind at 13.65.

Xavier Coakley returned to the track for the first time in two years and won the men’s 110m hurdles with his time of 14.29 seconds.

Freshman Sierra Oliveira won the women’s 400m dash with her time of 54.75 seconds, while fellow freshman Kennedy Brace made her collegiate debut finishing second with a time of 56.34. Ryler Gould’s time of 49.56 gave the freshman a sixth-place finish on the men’s side.

Sophomore Jacious Sears won her first event of the day in the women’s 100m dash, finishing with a time of 11.65 seconds and followed up with the top time in the 200m at 23.88 seconds. Atherley competed in her final event of the day finishing just behind Sears in the 200m with a time of 24.07. Freshman Blanca Hervas finished with a time of 24.82 to finish fifth.

Freshman Jalen Gordon also competed in both the men’s 100m and 200m dash, finishing with time of 11.04 and 21.97 seconds, respectively. Solomon Strader also competed in the 200m finishing second at 21.65.

Senior McKinly Brown also made his way back onto the track after the canceled 2020 outdoor season, running the 400m hurdles with a time of 51.85 to finish first.

Both the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay took first place in their respective races. On the men’s side, freshman Ramy Berberena and senior Asa Burke who made his Miami debut, and Brown and Strader posted a time of 3:09.51. The women’s relay made up of four freshmen in Brace, Oliveira, Hervas and Natalie Varela finished with a time 3:45.74.

“I was really pleased with how the weekend with and so happy for our sixth-year seniors who have had to wait for so long to be able to compete again,” Deem said. “Our whole team came out and performed at such a high level. I’m excited to see the leadership we have on the men’s side and we have a great mix on our women’s side. We were all around focused and competed both days.”

Miami will host its second meet of the season on March 27 for the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational.