Walker Breaks School Record On Day Two Of Penn Relays
UAlbany Results ǀ Day One Recap
PHILADELPHIA – Friday at the Penn Relays saw the University at Albany men join the competition in force, as the women's events dominated the schedule on Thursday except for UAlbany's final event of the day in James Sommer's 3,000 steeplechase. The second day of competition for UAlbany featured eight events, including one relay final for the women's 4x100.
The first day was highlighted by Grace Claxton's school record run in the 400 hurdles. Her performance was followed up on Friday by Veleisha Walker, who actually closed out the day for the Great Danes. The last UAlbany student-athlete to compete on Friday, Walker placed sixth in the college division of the women's javelin with a mark of 143'-8”. The mark, for the second consecutive week, breaks her own school record. She owned the school record of 141'-1” entering the season, until she broke it last week at UAlbany's Spring Classic with a mark of 142'-7”. Exactly one week later, she improved on her own school record once again by over a foot.
The day actually started early at 9:00 a.m. with the running of the men's 400 hurdles. Jeremiah Obeng-Agyapong placed 43rd with a time of 56.36. Next, UAlbany fielded two competitors in the college division of the women's triple jump. Alexx Baum placed fourth with a mark of 40'-11.75, and Solène Bastien placed 13th, jumping 39'-1.75”.
The next event to begin was the college division of the men's pole vault. Nathan Hiett placed sixth, clearing a height of 15'-3”. After Hiett competed, UAlbany's focus returned to the track for the running of the ECAC finals of the women's 4x100, for which the Great Danes entered as the top overall seed. The team of Kahlia Taylor, Chanel Smith, Taahira Butterfield, and Claxton placed second overall behind Harvard, running a season-best time of 46.50.
Smith and Taylor later joined up with Michelle Anthony and Halie Snyder for the women's 4x200 trials. The quartet placed 31st overall in 1:42.46. The men next took to the track for their first relay event of the meet in the college division of the distance medley relay. The team of Youness Benzaid (3:03.80), Taariq Jones (48.4), Jason Tomlinson (1:54.7), and Chris Buchanan (4:19.9) placed 13th overall with a time of 10:06.68.
The final track event of the day, before Walker concluded proceedings for UAlbany in the women's javelin, was the women's 100 hurdles. Anthony had been entered in the event, but was listed as the third alternate behind the originally accepted field of 30. Anthony would only compete in the event if three or more athletes scratched. Once that happened, Anthony was awarded a position in the race. She placed 22nd overall, crossing the line with a time of 14.39.
Saturday marks the final day of competition for the Penn Relays. The Great Danes have five events scheduled, three of which are relays. The first event for UAlbany is the college division of the men's triple jump at 9:00 a.m. The meet will be televised on NBCSN from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The timeslot includes one of UAlbany's events, the championship division of the men's high jump, but will likely showcase only the USA vs. The World races. Saturday will also see the remainder of the UAlbany roster in action at RPI for the Capital District Classic, which starts at 11:00 a.m.
