Women's Track & Field | April 6, 2024

CARROLLTON, Ga. – The Clayton State University track & field team returned to action at the UWG Legends Invitational.  The Lakers saw various top-10 performances and a couple of top-three finishes. The Lakers combined to finish in ninth overall out of 25 schools. 
 
Action on the track and in the field started on Friday.  Camron Gaddis got the Lakers started with a fifth-place finish in the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:07.83.  In the men's 400m hurdles, Davonte Jackson ran the fourth fastest time with a mark of 55.43.  Jackson followed that up with a third-place finish in the triple jump with a final mark of 13.92m.  That is good for a new season best and is currently 56^th in the nation.  Action in the field concluded with Jaazer Ridges finishing 11^th in the triple jump with a final mark of 10.56m.
 
Action on Saturday started in the men's 110m hurdles with Jackson finishing fourth with a time of 15.23. In the women's 400m dash, Kennedy McDonald led the team with a fifth-place finish with a time of 58.40.  That time is good for an outdoor best for McDonald.  In the 3k Steeplechase, Tanaeya Johnson continues to break records as she broke her own school record with a third-place finish with a time of 11:47.88.  She becomes the first Laker in program history to go sub-12 minutes in the race.  Story Alexander finished fourth in the event with a time of 12:16.51.  Alexander reduced her time by nearly 35 seconds from a couple weeks ago. 
 
In the 100m dash, Journie Alexander finished 10^th with a time of 12.38.  The Lakers then dominated in the 800m run as JaBresha Palmer placed second with a time of 2:21.53 and Ivorie Smith finished sixth finishing with a time of 2:26.68.  In the men's race, Sancho Smith ran the third fastest time in the race clocking a time of 1:55.50.  In the 200m dash, Ariyonna Jones finished in fourth place with a time of 25.03.  That is good for a season best and is currently 66^th in the nation.  Cayla Brown finished in ninth in the race. 
 
In the field events and in her Laker debut, Sariya Henry finished sixth in the high jump with a mark of 1.55m.  In the men's long jump, Adarius Andrews finished in sixth place with a final mark of 6.63m.  Concluding the field events is the men's high jump where Rodney Crawford led the group of Lakers with a ninth-place finish with a final mark of 1.85m. 
 
Below are the top-10 finishers for the Lakers at the UWG Legends Invitational
 

Name	Event (s)	Place: Time/Mark
Camron Gaddis	1500m run	5th: 4:07.83
Davonte Jackson	400m hurdles Triple Jump 110m hurdles	4th: 55.43 3rd: 13.92m 4th: 15.23
Kennedy McDonald	400m dash	5th: 58.40
Tanaeya Johnson	3k steeplechase	3rd: 11:47.88
Story Alexander	3k steeplechase	4th: 12:16.51
Journie Alexander	100m dash	10th: 12.38
JaBresha Palmer	800m run	2nd: 2:21.53
Ivorie Smith	800m run	6th: 2:26.68
Sancho Smith	800m run	3rd: 1:55.50
Nehemiah Horton	800m run	10th: 1:58.58
Ariyonna Jones	200m dash	4th: 25.03
Cayla Brown	200m dash	9th: 25.49
Sariya Henry	High Jump	6th: 1.55m
Adarius Andrews	Long Jump	6th: 6.63m
Rodney Crawford	High Jump	9th: 1.85m

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers travel back to Rome, Ga. on April 12-13^th as they compete in the Berry College Field Day Invitational.  Action begins on Friday at 10 a.m. and at 11 a.m. on Saturday.  Please visit claytonstatesports.com for more information. 
 
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