The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Vanderbilt Invite
Track Team Wraps Up Second Day At Vanderbilt Invitational
4/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
April 23, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ----- The UAB track and field team wrapped up the second day of competition at the Vanderbilt Invitational Saturday with several winning and personal-best efforts.
The Blazers had a trio of individual competitors, as well as a relay team, win their events. Sophomore Thelyssa Katchen won the 400-meter dash, junior Clara Cid claimed the 3,000-meter title and senior Nora Mehl captured her specialty, the high jump, on an outstanding day of performances for UAB.
In addition, the Blazers' 4x400-meter relay team of Kyana White, Veronicia Johnson Akira McSwain and Karina Expose took a first place with a time of 3:45.89.
Katchen crossed the finish line at 56.36, a personal-best time, in the 400, while Cid also set a PR in the 3,000 with a 10:06.02 clocking. Mehl won the high jump with a leap of 5-9 ¼.
Other personal records set Saturday for the Blazers included Akira McSwain in the 100-meter hurdles (14.10, 4th place); Alexis Bates in the 100 meters (11.84, 7th place) and Lauren Fayen in the 800 (2:09.81, 4th place).
"The Blazers had a lot of personal best and seasonal bests today," said UAB head coach Kurt Thomas. "That's what you want to see at this time of the season. There were some things we still need to work on, but with the training and their competitions, the team is getting ready to be at their best.
"Nora had lots of real good jumps, and was real clean clearing bars. That's a good sign. Both Taylor and Kelli jumped well coming off of injuries. Akira had a great hurdle race, and also jumped well, then she came back with a great 4 x 4 leg. Alexis finally put together a good 100m race that I knew she was capable of running.
"Thelyssa is running well in the 400m and is ready for a big breakthrough. Lauren Fayen had a big breakthrough in the 800m. She is capable of a lot and ran well in that race. We had some girls race for the first time coming off off injuries, and they did well. We only have a few weeks before the conference meet, so things get more important. I'm proud of how they all came out and raced hard, and really competed this weekend."
UAB also got a sixth place finish from Rachel Harley in the 400-meter hurdles at 1:02.35. Expose and White placed fifth and seventh in the 400 meters, respectively, won by teammate Katchen. Stephanie Gammon was second in the 3,000-meter run.
