Claxton Leads Women's Track At Florida Relays
Results
Athlete of the Meet: Grace Claxton
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University at Albany women's track & field program traveled south to Florida this weekend to compete in the Florida Relays, the second weekend of competition for the outdoor season. Two weeks ago over spring break, the team split up for meets in South Carolina and Puerto Rico.
The three day meet began Thursday at the University of Florida's James G. Pressly Stadium. Senior Grace Claxton led the Great Danes with a school record effort in her first outdoor meet following her participation in the IAAF World Indoor Championships for Puerto Rico.
Thursday
Thursday was the busiest day of the meet for the women, with five student-athletes competing in three events. The Great Danes had three entered in the college division of the 5,000m. Cara Sherman placed 17th in 17:19.67, Molly Pezzulo placed 24th in 17:29.04, and Hannah Smith placed 44th in 18:03.32. UAlbany also fielded a single competitor each in the 200m and the 400m hurdles. Stephanie Osuji placed 44th in the open division of the 200m in 24.53, and Chibugo Ike placed 20th in the open division of the 400m hurdles in 1:04.99.
Friday
Three Great Danes competed in two events on Friday. Claxton made her return to the 400m hurdles, where she holds the school record and is the reigning America East champion. Claxton placed fourth in the college division of the event, surpassing her own school record with a finishing time of 57.59. Her record previously was 58.51, set at last year's conference championships. Paige Vadnais also competed in the college division of the 400m hurdles, placing 35th in 1:03.02. Dominique Claudio rounded out Friday's competitors, placing 56th in the college division of the 800m in 2:31.30 after suffering a fall during her race.
Saturday
The women fielded two relays on Saturday, the final day of competition. The day started with the 4x100m shuttle hurdle relay. The team of Ike (14.67), Niamani Morrison (14.15), Nichole Anderson (14.92), and Vadnais (14.08) placed ninth overall in the college division in 58.04. In the team's other relay, the 4x100m, the team of Osuji, Chanel Smith, Claxton, and Taahira Butterfield placed 32nd in the college division in 46.21.
Not to be outdone, UAlbany's field event competitors finally got in on the action on the last day of the meet. Solene Bastien placed 17th in the college division of the triple jump with a mark of 40-00.75, and Anika Hibbard tied for seventh in the college division of the high jump, clearing a height of 5-06.00.
Next up for UAlbany is a trip to Burlington, Vermont for a dual meet against the Catamounts on Tuesday, April 12. That same week will see the contesting of the Mt. SAC Relays in California.
