Record-Breaking Sprinters Shine on Opening Day of Pelican Relays – Northwestern State University Athletics

BATON ROUGE—The Northwestern State sprinters put on an impressive show on the first day of the Pelican Relays at Southern University. Seven sprinters achieved personal bests in the 200-meter dash, underscoring a strong performance for the team.

Women’s 200-Meter Dash Highlights

Maygan Shaw led the Lady Demons with a winning time of 23.55, placing her at the top of a competitive field. While she did not improve her personal best, her strong finish was a highlight. Dynia Lewis, always a contender, recorded a personal best of 24.56, earning her ninth place among 48 competitors. Jalya Mason and Cherie Neal also shone, finishing with personal bests of 24.96 and 25.46, respectively.

Samari Finney clocked a season-best 24.43, finishing sixth. Margaret Conteh (24.62), Tranasia Jones (24.87), and Kahliyah Anderson (25.08) rounded out a remarkable showing, with several Lady Demons breaking into the top rankings.

Men’s 200-Meter Dash Highlights

On the men’s side, Elijah Rowe continued to impress with a personal best of 21.09, landing him in second place. Mikkel Johansson followed closely with a third-place finish at 21.10. Tavis Wilson recorded a personal best of 21.19, taking fifth. Also, Vincente Graiani (21.43) and William Achee (21.44) notched personal bests, placing eighth and ninth.

Galen Loyd and Desmond Duncan didn’t achieve personal bests but showed solid performances, finishing 12th and 14th, respectively, with times of 21.49 and 21.50.

Field Event Success

In field events, freshman Teodora Samac topped the women’s javelin with a throw of 136-02. Mikayla Mondello (115-0), Emily Miller (108-10), and Neal (103-11) also finished strong, with Miller achieving a season best.

For the men, freshman Maddox Reine made a mark with a personal best throw of 187-02, securing second place. Garrett Graves and Joseph Yount finished sixth and seventh in the javelin, showcasing the depth of talent in the team.

In the hammer throw, Bernesha Knowles achieved a season-best throw of 169-10 to finish second, while teammate Tahisha Thompson closely followed with a strong fourth-place finish.

Looking Ahead

The excitement continues tomorrow morning at 9:30 with the women’s discus. Later in the day, the women’s 4×100 relay will kick off the running events at 1:30 p.m. The team’s momentum suggests even more records may fall as they compete.

Recent data shows that athletics programs are on the rise, with participation in track and field statewide growing 5% over the last two years. This trend illustrates a growing interest in the sport, especially among athletes eager to break records and achieve personal milestones.

The skill demonstrated by the Northwestern State athletes exemplifies this trend, as they continue to push themselves and inspire each other.

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