The Saluki Track and Field team has moved into outdoor season finally, competing in their first outdoor competition of the season this past Friday and Saturday. Both teams showed signs of improvement and growth in their first such meet of the new outdoor season.

On day one, Iaunia Pointer won the women’s 200m dash with a 23.31 time, which made for the second-best SIU time ever in the event.

In the Women’s Hammer throw, Saluki Graduate Elisia Lancaster won it with a 62.37 mark. Current Saluki thrower Matisen Ingle posted a 52.58 throw for third place in the event.

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As for the men, the team posted three top-ten finishers in the long jump. Caleb Massiah (7.02m, 5th), Dasani Edwards (6.85m, 7th), and Jadon Robertson (6.8m, 10th) each hit impressive marks in the event.

Xavier Preston hit a top-five finish in the 200m dash with a 20.98 time for fifth place and Shane Aston placed fourth in the 400m hurdles with a 54.33 time.

Josh Delgado and Uriah Guthrie helped round out the runners strong with a seventh-place finish for Delgado in the 800m run (1:51.18) and an eight place finish for Guthrie in the 5,000m run (15:17.58).

Finishing out the competition on day two were the relay teams. The men’s team posted second place and a 40.48 time from Lamark Threadgill, Xavier Preston, Christian Donatelli, and Kyle Burgoni. The women’s team finished in fourth with a 45.67 time from Miracle Berry, Iaunia Pointer, Vashti Grey, and Dahja Price. 

Dawson Plabb and Robertson both hit top-five in the high jump competition and each posted the same marking of 2.05m for fourth and fifth place.

Ingle had another top-five finish on day two for her discus throw (47.51m) and Christine Nosike earned 10th place, not far behind (44.83m).

In the women’s 1500m run, Claire Ayers hit 4:33.73 for seventh place in the event.

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For hurdles Robertson and Price each earned a top-eight finish for their efforts, with Robertson 14.75 in the 110 hurdles and Price hitting 13.81 in the 100m hurdles

Pointer continued her dominance with a third-place finish in the 400m dash and a 54.47 time.

The Dawgs will look to add to their terrific start to the outdoor season just a couple days from now with a trip to North Carolina for the Raleigh Relays. The meet will commence starting on March 23rd and go through the 25th.

Sports editor Joseph Bernard can be reached at [email protected] or on twitter @Jojobernard2001. 

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