Men's Track & Field | January 21, 2024

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Clayton State University track & field teams competed in the KMS Invitational at the CrossPlex in Birmingham on Sunday. The Lakers saw two more school records fall. 
 
MEN'S SIDE
The action on the track began in the 4x200 meter relay.  The team of Titus Hand, Kelvin Oppong, Dominic Archer, and Christopher Hart finished in third place with a time of 1:32.25.  That same team broke the school record in the event last weekend at the Emory CrossPlex Showdown.  In the 600m run, Sancho Smith won the event and broke his own school record with a time of 1:22.23.  That time is good for sixth in all Division II this season.  In the mile, Camron Gaddis finished fourth with a time of 4:26.90.  In the 800m run, Rakiem Barnes and Smith finished in second and fourth place with times of 1:58.71 and 1:58.76, respectively.  The Lakers saw great success on the track on Sunday. 
 
In the field, the Lakers saw breakout performances from Davonte Jackson and Freddie Hawkins.  Jackson finished third in the long jump with a final distance of 6.69m and second in the triple jump with a final mark of 13.99m.  Jackson's triple jump mark is good for a new PR and second all-time in school history.  In the high jump, Hawkins tied his PR and the second record with a final mark of 2m.
 
WOMEN'S SIDE
The action on the track began in the 4x200 meter relay.  The team of Ariyonna Jones, Kennedy McDonald, Cayla Brown, and Maya Adams broke the school record and finished on top of the podium with a final time of 1:43.42. Success on the track continued in the 600m run with JaBresha Palmer.  Palmer finished third in the race with a final time of 1:41.74.  Ivorie Smith crossed the finish line in fifth in the race.  In the mile run, Tanaeya Johnson finished as the second runner-up with a final time of 5:36.94.  In the 400m dash, McDonald finished with a career-best time of 58.86.  Kennedy became the sixth different Laker in program history to go sub-60 seconds in the event.  Currently, McDonald ranks third all-time.  The Lakers also saw Palmer finish fourth in the 800m run and Jones finish eighth in the 200m dash. 
 
In the field, the Lakers were paced by Jaazer Ridges and Jada Colbert.  Ridges jumped to a fifth-place finish in the long jump with a final mark of 4.82 and a third-place finish in the triple jump with a final mark of 10.32m.  Colbert then finished sixth in the high jump with a final height of 1.45m. 
 
Below are the top-10 finishes for the Lakers in the KMS Invitational on Sunday:
*New/Tie School Record

Name	Event(s)	Place: Time/Mark
Titus Hand	4x200 meter relay 400m dash	3rd: 1:32.25 9th: 50.48
Kelvin Oppong	4x200 meter relay	3rd: 1:32.25
Dominic Archer	4x200 meter relay	3rd: 1:32.25
Christopher Hart	4x200 meter relay	3rd: 1:32.25
Sancho Smith	600m run 800m run	1st: 1:23.23* 4th: 1:58.76
Rakiem Barnes	600m run 800m run	6th: 1:26.70 2nd: 1:58.71
Camron Gaddis	Mile run	4th: 4:26.90
Ariyonna Jones	4x200 meter relay 200m dash	1st: 1:43.42* 8th: 25.61
Kennedy McDonald	4x200 meter relay 400m dash	1st: 1:43.42* 6th: 58.86
Cayla Brown	4x200 meter relay	1st: 1:43.42*
Maya Adams	4x200 meter relay	1st: 1:43.42*
JaBresha Palmer	600m run 800m run	3rd: 1:41.74 4th: 2:29.30
Ivorie Smith	600m run	5th: 1:45.90
Tanaeya Johnson	Mile run	3rd: 5:36.94
Davonte Jackson	Long Jump Triple Jump	3rd: 6.69m 2nd: 13.99m
Freddie Hawkins	High Jump	2nd: 2m*
Kahmani Zachery	High Jump	5th: 1.85m
Adarius Andrews	High Jump	9th: 1.75m
Jaazer Ridges	Long Jump Triple Jump	5th: 4.82m 3rd: 10.32m
Jada Colbert	High Jump	6th: 1.45m

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers continues its indoor season on Saturday, January 27^th as the compete in the Sewanee Indoor Invitational in Sewanee, Tenn.  Action from the Fowler Fieldhouse begins at 10 a.m. ET. 
 
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