Jan. 15, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Behind many season best times, the Georgia Tech men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams rounded out a successful weekend at the Kentucky Invitational, Saturday. The Jackets earned 13 top-10 finishes against some tough competition.
Tech’s field corps shone on the weekend earning eight of the 13 top-10 finishes including the Jackets’ lone first place finish. Joanna Wright notched the victory in the pole vault, her third-straight, this time with a height of 3.70 meters. Wright was the only competitor to hit 3.85 meters in the jumpoff to take home the win. Erica Penk, who also recorded a height of 3.70 meters, finished competition in fifth place.
On the men’s side of the pole vault, Aaron Unteberger finished the weekend in a tie for second place launching himself 5.05 meters into the air. Mykhail Chambers continued his success in the high jump, this time with a seventh place, 2.04 meter jump.
The women’s jumping squad also did well as Julienne McKee finished the weekend with a fifth place, season best showing in the triple jump (12.35m) and a sixth place finish in the long jump (5.74m). Jhanelle McLeod bested McKee in the triple jump by one spot taking fourth place with a launch of 12.39m while Jonathan Gardner earned eighth place in the men’s triple jump, leaping 14.41m.
On the track, the sprit squad demonstrated much success as both Melanie Akwule and Leslie Njoku earned spots in the 60 meter hurdles finals. Akwule finished eighth overall in the race with a time of 8.53 seconds after a season best 8.47 second preliminary run. Njoku took 12th with a time of 8.63, improving from her 16th place, 8.77 second preliminary run. Paul DeVito also earned a spot in the 60 meter hurdles finals on the mens side racing to a ninth place, 8.45 second finish.
In the 60 meter dash, Jenae Anderson, Taylor Davidson and Perron Jones all took part in the finals after 12th place (7.66), 18th place (7.75) and ninth place (6.93) finishes in the preliminary races respectively. Anderson finished in 11th (7.67), Davidson in 18th (7.74) and Jones took eighth (6.89). Jones continued his success in the 200 meter dash coming across in a season best 22.24 second, seventh place finish.
Mark Mendrek-Laske earned the Jackets’ final top-10 finish on the day with his ninth place showing in the 3,000 meter run finishing in a time of 8:23.80. Six Tech athletes competed in the race, all coming across in the top-20 spots and within 10 seconds of one another.
The Jackets will take the following weekend off of competition and will return to action back in Lexington, Ky. on the weekend of January 28 and 29 at the Rod McCravy Invitational also hosted by the University of Kentucky.
