By Patricia Ressell-Deras
Staff Writer
On the weekend of April 12-13, the FDU Knights Track team competed at the Metropolitan Championships which was hosted this year by Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. Amongst 11 other college teams, both the men’s and women’s track team scored fifth place overall in the meet.
The Knights women dominated their individual events.
Junior Kylia Smith won first place in Women’s 100m dash with a time of 11.83 seconds. Junio Madeline Price and sophomore Jazmyn Lewis also ran impressive times, 12.39 and 12.51, respectively.
Knights walked away with both first and third place in women’s 100m hurdles, thanks to junior Akemi Dwyer (14.74) and sophomore Gabrielle Charles (15.29).
All three racers in women’s 200m dash, junior Smith, freshman Daniella Griffith, sophomore Jazmyn Lewis, placed in the top 10 spots.
Sophomore Shaniyah Caul claimed fourth place in Women’s 400m dash with a time of 57.39 seconds.
The women’s team walked away with second and fifth place in the Women 400m hurdles won by sophomores Shanice Watkins and Charles respectfully.
The women’s team finished in second place in the women’s 4x400m relay, and fourth place in the 4x100m relay.
The Knights men also took home some wins.
Sophmores Yourry Tapande-Ngombe and Keion Oglesby walked away with fifth and seventh place repectfuly in Men’s 200m dash. They went on to also claim second and fifth place in Men’s 400m dash.
Sophomore Sandley Elysee won second place in Men 400m hurdles with a time of 55.69.
The men’s 4×100 relay team performed won second place at the meet.
Junior Akemi Dwyer won third place in Women’s Long jump with a distance of 5.81m. Dwyer’s sister Anika was not far behind with a distance of 5.67m, claiming 5th place.
Juniors Nicole Dawson and Anika Dwyer won third and fourth place in Women’s triple jump.
The female throwers did just as well as the jumpers.
Sophomore Elizabeth Peppernick threw 35.61m in women’s discus, landing her among the top half of the throwers.
Freshman Ashleigh Convery threw a distance of 42.79m in women’s hammer throw landing her in seventh place.
Knights men jumpers and throwers performed the same as the women.
Freshman Taeco O’Garro won second place in men’s Triple Jump with a distance of 15.21m.
Freshman Benjamin Clay and sophomore Austin Gere placed in 7th and 8th place respectively in men’s shot put. They continued the momentum by placing sixth and seventh in the men’s hammer throw.
In track and field, meters are used instead of feet to measure distance. 1 meter(m) = 3.28 feet(ft).
The women’s team has three more meets before the Division I East Preliminary meet in Jacksonville, F.L. from May 23-25.
The men’s team has two more meets before the NECs from May 4-5 in New Britain, Connecticut.
Photo by FDU
Madeline Price
