April 27, 2006
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Senior Angela Homan broke her own school record while winning the college women's 5,000m championship race to highlight a strong opening day at the 112th Penn Relays for the Auburn men's and women's track and field teams. Homan became the first Auburn runner ever to win a distance race at the Penn Relays, and the first individual winner of any kind for Auburn since 2003.
Homan finished the 5,000m run with a time of 16:11.02, smashing her previous record of 16:22.62 set last year. Homan edged Kaitlyn Gwyther of Quinnipiac, who was second in 16:12.63. The two broke away from the pack midway through the race and traded leads the last two laps. Gwyther appeared to take control on the final lap, but Homan passed her around the final turn to become Auburn's first Penn Relays individual winner since Elva Goulbourne repeated as long jump champion in 2003.
"That was actually the first kick I've ever had during my whole college career," said Homan. "The last 400 I didn't know if I had it in me. It means a lot (to win a Penn Relays title). Coming in I didn't have any expectations to win this race, but during the race I knew I could finish strong. I'm very happy with my performance."
"Angela Homan really provided a spark for us tonight," said head coach Ralph Spry. "She's had a lot of firsts for us and now she's the first Penn Relays distance champ we've had. She's really running well and I'm pleased with where she's at heading into SECs in two weeks."
Homan's record race was just one of a number of solid performances Thursday for Auburn, as the Tigers posted seven top-four finishes
Jovanee Jarrett had Auburn's second-best finish during the opening day, placing second in the college women's long jump championship event with a leap of 6.28m (20-7.25), which is a season best and improved her previous NCAA Regional qualifying mark of 6.07m (19-11). Kierra Foster of Maryland won the event with a jump of 6.35m (20-10).
In the opening race of the day, Markita James placed third in the college women's 400m hurdles championship event. James' time of 56.78 seconds was not as quick as her school-record time of :55.40 set earlier this year, but still good enough for third out of 64 competitors. Dominique Darden of Miami (Fla.) won the race with a time of :55.06, while Kaliese Spencer of the University of Technology in Jamaica was second in :55.07.
Auburn had two of the top four finishers in the college women's high jump, as Michelle Williamson and Raevan Harris placed third and fourth, respectively. Both jumpers cleared 1.71m (5-7.25) before going out at 1.74m (5-8.5), but Williamson was awarded third place as she had not missed up to that point. For Harris, it was a season-best jump, surpassing her previous best of 1.70m (5-7).
Katalin Mate had a pair of top-four finishes all by herself. She finished third in the college women's javelin with a throw of 45.73m (150-0), improving her regional qualifying mark and moving up to fifth on Auburn's all-time list in that event.
In the college women's shot put, Mate finished fourth with a personal-best mark of 14.71m (48-3.25), which improves her regional qualifying mark and No. 3 mark on the Auburn outdoor charts. Ronda Gullatte (13.79m - 45-3) and Jennifer Amobi (12.91m - 42-4 1/4) also competed in the shot put but did not advance to the finals.
Gullatte did advance to the finals of the college women's hammer throw championship event, where she finished eighth with a mark of 55.98m (183-8). However, the mark was short of her season-best mark of 58.95m (193-5).
The women's 4x400m relay team of Josanne Lucas, James, Tamara Thomas and Kerron Stewart also competed Thursday, easily advancing to Saturday's finals by winning their heat with a time of 3:33.74. The time was the fourth fastest of the preliminary heats, trailing only Miami (3:31.08), Texas (3:33.21) and LSU (3:33.56).
In Auburn's final race of the night, the Tigers had two men competing in the college men's 5,000m championship event. Jordan Davis finished 13th with a time of 14:17.67, while Andrew Heath was just behind in 15th place with a time of 14:20.72.
"We competed well today," said Spry. "That's the biggest thing we're looking for this weekend is to leave here on a good note, because we have a weekend off before the war at SECs. We want to come out of the weekend with confidence and no injuries. That's the name of the game."
Action at the Penn Relays will continue through Saturday, April 29.