Pair Of Records Fall On Final Day of Louisiana Classics

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns track and field team capped a strong weekend at the Louisiana Classics on Saturday at the Home Bank Soccer and Track Complex, posting nine first-place finishes highlighted by a school record from Henry Lyon in his outdoor debut and a facility record from Isabelle Russell.

In the women's high jump, Alaysha Veal cleared 1.76 meters (5-9.25) to claim first place and lead a solid day for Louisiana in the jumps.

The Cajuns also swept the top two spots in the women's pole vault as Lauren Roberts won the event with a personal-best clearance of 3.90 meters (12-9.5) – the second-best mark in school history – while Jasmine Sakaguchi finished second at 3.60 meters (11-9.75).

Louisiana produced one of its most impressive performances of the meet in the men's 5,000 meters, where Lyon won the race with a personal-best time of 14:18.16, eclipsing the previous mark of 14:23.2 set by Ian Wilkinson in 1983.

The Cajuns placed four runners inside the top six as Reece Shelby finished second in 14:36.98, Matthew Maynard placed third in 14:43.81 and Peyton Chiasson came in fourth with a time of 14:54.75.

In the women's 10,000 meters, Louisiana swept the top three spots with Russell winning the event in 35:22.81 and breaking the facility record of 35:23.02 set by Diana Jipchirchir of New Orleans in 2006. Ella Segura (35:26.82) followed Russell in second while Chloé Crowell placed third with a personal-best time of 35:35.83.

Louisiana also produced strong results in the 1,500 meters where Joshua Quintana won the men's race in 3:59.17 while Juliana Courville captured the women's title with a time of 4:38.26.

Kobe Mendez won the men's 110-meter hurdles in 14.01 with Federico Bovo finishing fourth (14.12) and Michael Frazier III sixth (14.27). The men's 4x800-meter relay team of Reed Boudreaux, Justin Descant, Kohl Feucht and Quintana claimed the event title in 7:50.31, outdueling the UL Alumni Squad.

Louisiana added another podium finish in the men's shot put as freshman Devonte Edwards placed second with a throw of 17.36 meters (56-11.5). Teammate Praiyer Jones finished fourth at 16.52 meters (54-2.5).

In the women's long jump, Reem Tammam recorded a runner-up finish with a leap of 5.99 meters (19-8), while Daijah Miller placed third at 5.73 meters (18-9.75) and Courtney Wiltz finished fourth with a jump of 5.70 meters (18-8.5).

Camren Hardy clocked 10.36 in the men's 100 meters to finish fifth overall. Garry Munro added a strong finish in the 200 meters, recording a personal-best time of 21.11 and finishing behind teammate Caemon Scott, who earned a second-place finish in 20.87.

On the women's side, Amairi Ashford ran 11.49 in the 100 meters to finish second overall while Tijuanique Morton followed in third with a time of 11.52.

Louisiana's women's relay teams placed second in both the 4x100-meter relay (45.47) and the 4x400-meter relay (3:47.24), while the women's 4x800-meter relay squad also finished runner-up in 9:33.48.

Louisiana will return to competition April 2-4 with a pair of meets. The Ragin' Cajuns will send select athletes to the Carl Kight Multi Invitational hosted by Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, on April 2-3, while the majority of the squad will compete at the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla., on April 3-4.

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