UKTF Closes Out Record Breaking Black & Gold Invite

ORLANDO, Fla. — The first weekend of the outdoor season has ended.

The Kentucky track & field team enjoyed a successful start to the season setting numerous performance records and personal bests at the Black and Gold Invitational over the weekend.

In total, two freshman records were broken on Friday while 38 personal bests were set over the course of the past two days.

Ten Wildcats added new top-10 times and distances to the UK all-time performance list and 28 of those performances are currently ranked within the top-16 in the NCAA, including five that lead the nation.

The Wildcats own the number one spot in both the men’s and women’s 400 meter dashes while also leading the nation in the men’s 4×400 relay, 400-meter hurdles, and women’s long jump as of Saturday.

Podiums

Logan Coles earned the first podium of the afternoon for the Wildcats in the men’s hammer throw finishing runner-up with a throw of 202’8”/61.77 meters.

Justin Swann impressed in his outdoor debut for the Wildcats. His personal best time of 1:49.01 saw him finish runner-up in the men’s 800 meters and rank fifth in the NCAA as of Saturday.

The Wildcats placed one-two in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Yasmin Brooks captured the event with a time of 13.55 that ranks sixth in the NCAA while Shadajah Ballard was runner-up with a time of 13.66. Ballard’s time currently ranks eighth in the NCAA.

Dajour Miles finished runner-up to a non-collegiate opponent in the women’s 400 meters but her personal best time of 52.99 leads the NCAA as of Saturday.

Wayne Lawrence Jr. captured the men’s 400 meters and currently leads the NCAA with his time of 46.02. His time also ranks at number four on the UK all-time performers list.

Brian Faust rounded out the podium with his third-place time of 46.80. He currently sits fifth in the NCAA rankings.

After breaking the UK freshman long jump record yesterday, Anthaya Charlton had another big day capturing the women’s 100 meters with a personal best time of 11.38. Charlton is currently ranked seventh in the NCAA.

Victoria Perrow placed just behind Charlton with a personal best time of her own at 11.40. She is currently ranked eighth in the NCAA.

Langston Jackson earned another win for the Wildcats taking the men’s 100 meters with a personal best time of 10.31. The time ranks second on the UK all-time performers list and 14th in the NCAA.

A 4×400 relay team of Karimah Davis, Dajour Miles, Megan Moss, and Tamiia Fuller placed the fourth fastest time in the NCAA at 3:36.37 to win the event.

Both men’s 4×400 relay teams earned a podium position this afternoon as a team made of Brian Faust, Wayne Lawrence Jr., Brandon Miller, and Kennedy Lightner won the event with a time of 3:05.87. The time is currently the fastest from any men’s 4×400 relay in the NCAA.

A team consisting of Tavon Williams, Beck O’Daniel, Brandon Nyandoro, and Myles Anders placed third in the event with a time of 3:10.30 and currently rank sixth in the NCAA.

Personal Bests

Simisola Akrinsola placed 15th in the women’s hammer throw with a personal best toss of 160’4”/48.88 meters.

Mallory Mullen placed sixth in her outdoor Wildcats high jump debut jumping a personal best of 5’6”/1.68 meters.

Reynei Wallace, Mahogany Mobley, and Seven Simms all got a taste of the women’s 400 meters in their debut with Wallace placing 12th with a personal best time of 55.88. Mobley placed 14th with a personal best time of 56.12 and Seven Simms finished 18th with a personal best time of 56.60.

Brandon Nyandoro and Tavon Williams got the same exposure in their men’s 400 meter debuts. Nyandoro placed 10th with a personal best time of 48.29 while Williams was 12th with a personal best of 48.64.

Colleen Branch placed fourth in her women’s 100 meters debut with a personal best time of 11.65. Shadajah Ballard followed in fifth with a personal best of 11.66 while Tamiia Fuller placed 16th in her debut with a time of 11.99.

Notables

Michael Browning secured a top-10 finish in the men’s hammer throw launching for 189’6”/57.77 meters.

Donsten Brown tied for fourth in the men’s high jump with a jump of 6’4.75”/1.95 meters.

Sophie Galloway placed sixth in the women’s triple jump with a jump of 41’1.50”/12.53 meters. The jump currently ranks 11th in the NCAA.

Karimah Davis and Megan Moss both secured top-five finishes in the women’s 400 meters. Davis ran a 53.74 for a fourth-place finish while Moss ran a 54.35 for eighth. They’re both ranked fifth and sixth respectively in the NCAA.

Iantha Wright placed seventh in the women’s 100 meters with a time of 11.72

A 4×400 team of Mahogany Mobley, Reynei Wallace, Anthaya Charlton, and Colleen Branch placed fourth with a time of 3:44.32 that currently ranks 12th in the NCAA. Shadajah Ballard and Iantha Wright ran a two-person 4×400 with a time of 3:49.55 to place seventh.

UKTF will continue the outdoor season at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas from March 29-April 1 and the Stanford Invite from March 31-April 1.

Follow Kentucky Track and Field and Cross Country on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and at UKathletics.com.