Murray, KY – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) track and field team had seven student-athletes qualify for event finals Thursday to highlight a stellar day two at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Murray, Kentucky.
The APSU Govs clinched two spots in the final event in the 400 and 800-meter dash along with the 100-meter hurdles. Senior Kamille Dunbar earned an automatic bid to the finals in the 100-meter hurdles after posting a season-best time of 14.06.
In one of the fastest heats of the preliminary round in the 100-meter dash, senior Kyra Wilder finished third with a time of 12.06 to advance to the event final. Her time of 12.06 was the seventh fastest time overall as Wilder had three competitors from her prelim heat reach the final.
Junior Kenisha Phillips will have the chance to defend her 400-meter OVC Outdoor Title, posting the best time of the prelims at 53.75. Phillips had the fastest time of the prelims by nearly two seconds and notched the ninth-fastest time in the 400-meter in school history. Along with Phillips, freshman Sydney Hartoin ran a career-best time of 57.83 to qualify for the event final. Hartoin’s time was the eighth and final qualifying time.
Rounding out the day on the track was the 800-meter dash where two Govs qualified for the event final. Senior Mikaela Smith won her prelim heat with a time of 2:12.66 to automatically advance. Behind Smith was freshman Lauren Lewis-Hayes who rallied late in her prelim heat, registering a time 2:13.21 to advance to Friday’s final. Smith has the fifth-fastest time overall while Lewis-Hayes has the eighth-fastest time.
In the field, senior Camaryn McClelland finished seventh in the long jump with a season-best mark of 5.14 meters. Fellow senior Kori McDaniel registered a mark of 44.05 meters to finish ninth in the hammer throw. As a team, Austin Peay State University are in sixth place with seven points. Southeast Missouri leads after day two with 77 points.
The final day of the 2022 OVC Outdoor Championships begins in the field at 11:00am with the triple jump. Events on the track get underway at 12:40pm with the 4×100-meter relay. The 4×100-relay will be the first of 13 event finals Friday with an overall team champion crowned after the 4×400-meter relay beginning at 4:25pm.
Field
Long Jump
Senior Jessica Kelley finished 17th with a season-best mark of 4.95 meters
Hammer Throw
Senior Jackie Verseman finished just outside the top ten in 12th
Verseman finished with a mark of 42.03 meters
Sprints
100-meter
Senior Tiyanna Johnson finished 11th in the prelims with a time of 12.27
Hurdles
100-meter hurdles
Senior Camaryn McClelland finished ninth in the prelims with a time of 14.39
Missed qualifying for the event final by 0.02 seconds
Freshman Madi Wallace finished 16th in the prelims with a time of 15.16
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