By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The University of Tennessee at Martin track and field program continued to show its depth and ability on Friday with several personal-bests scattered throughout the roster at the Hoosier Hills Invitational at Gladstein Fieldhouse.
After Mother Nature grounded the Skyhawks last week, leading to the team’s canceled participation in the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic, the squad was eager to return to action. UT Martin responded with continued growth and development with hopes of peaking at the right time in the team’s final regular season meet prior to the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship in just under two weeks with 10 individuals recording PRs of note in a highly regarded meet.
In the women’s 3k race, sophomore Lilia Alvarez was impressive for the Skyhawks as she raced to a runner-up finish with a time of 10:39.47 for a new PR. Then in the men’s 3k race which followed, freshman Will Cahill posted a PR of his own at 8:23.34 to finish fourth while George Payne joined in the action with a PR of his own at 8:47.43.
Several athletes posted multiple PRs in different events. Freshman Khalid White posted PRs in both the men’s 200m (22.86) and 400m (50.33) while claiming a third-place finish in the latter. Then on the women’s side, Janay Chapman posted PRs of her own in both the 60m dash (7.86) and 200m (26.27) while JayleAna Wyatt wasn’t far behind with her own PRs also in the 60m (7.92) and 200m (26.20).
Stepping up in distance a bit, Sanaa Smith notched a new personal record in the 400m dash with a time of 1:03.46 while Chance Rone hit a PR in the men’s 600m at 1:25.36.
In the men’s 800m run, Andre Brown finished fifth with a time of 1:55.40 while Hawken Foote wasn’t far behind with a new PR of 1:55.64.
Rounding out the accolades of note was senior Luke McNair who ran to a fifth-place finish in the men’s mile with a PR time of 4:13.83.
The Skyhawks will now focus their training on the OVC Indoor Championship in Birmingham, Ala. on Feb. 23-24.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information