TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Auburn track & field team continued its strong start to the outdoor season competing Thursday and Friday in the FSU Relays at the Mike Long Track in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Tigers took home gold in eight different events. Highlighting the performance of the pole vaulters was graduate student James Courson on the men's side. Courson finished in first with a 5.20m clearance. Freshman Marley Raikiwasa continues to show her dominance in the throwing events for the women. She finished shot put in first with a mark of 16.25m.
Auburn swept the men's and women's pole vault titles with the help of Courson and sophomore Alyssa Quinones-Mixon. On the men's side, the Tigers took home the top two spots in the event. Surpassing his height from the previous meet, Courson now holds the No. 4 spot in the SEC. Sophomore Michael May finished in second with a PR of 4.35m making his outdoor season debut in the event.
For the women, Quinones-Mixon secured gold for the second weekend in a row (4.10m). She has the No. 3 mark in the SEC. Junior Rhiannon Held (4.00m) and freshman Brooke Walden (3.70m) were close behind, finishing second and fourth, respectively.
On her fifth throw of the competition, Raikiwasa's mark of 16.25m was good enough for first in shot put. She finished just ahead of sophomore Megan Hague who had a PR in the event (16.17m). The duo later went on to compete in the discus throw where Raikiwasa finished second (56.04m) and Hague finished third (50.80m).
Shaniya Holley had an extremely successful start, making her outdoor season debut for the season. The senior from Auburn, Alabama surpassed her comptitors with a throw of 51.74m in javelin. Her mark is No. 7 in the nation and No. 4 in the SEC.
For the throws on the men's side, sophomore John Leonard had a toss of 57.82 on his third attempt that was good enough for second place in the hammer throw. Leonard's PR toss puts him at No. 6 in the conference.
Sophomore duo Matthew Rueff and Grant Griffin claimed the top two spots in the men's shot put. Rueff's toss of 18.12m came from his sixth and final attempt to finish in first. Griffin took home silver (16.67m).
In the men's 400m, sophomore LeBron Bessick had a PR time of 47.25. With the No. 5 time in the SEC, he claimed silver in the event. Fellow sophomore Ian Myers won his heat and finished in sixth overall with a time of 48.69. He was closely followed by junior Luke Roberts who placed eighth (48.88).
Senior Amy Warren won the women's triple jump, leaping out 12.72m on her first attempt to secure gold.
Coming off a strong performance the weekend before in Atlanta, sophomore Paula Grauvogel had a major PR in high jump. With a leap of 1.64m, Grauvogel placed second. Her teammate Elise Heddens also had a PR in the event. She finished in sixth with 1.59m.
Juniors Makanakaishe Charamba and Dario Matau finished one and two in the men's 200m. Charamba's time of 20.23 is No. 1 in the SEC and Matau's is No. 7 (20.77).
Other notable performances came by way of freshman Kayden Slay (2.08m) in the men's high jump and junior Danae Nembhard (13.62) in the women's 100m hurdles, both with silver medal performances.
Up Next
The Tigers travel to Gainesville, Florida for the Pepsi Florida Relays at James G. Presley Stadium at Percy Beard Track March 29-30. More information will be revealed closer to the start time.
FSU Relays
Mike Long Track, Tallahassee Florida
Thursday-Friday, March 21-22
Men's Results
Hammer Throw
2. John Leonard 57.82m
High Jump
2. Kayden Slay 2.08m
NH. Justin Stuckey
Pole Vault
1. James Courson 5.20m
2 Michael May 4.35m
110m Hurdles
11. Michael May 14.83
FS. Ja'Kobe Tharp
Shot Put
1. Matthew Rueff 18.12m
2. Grant Griffin 16.67m
400m
1. LeBron Bessick 47.25
6. Ian Myers 48.69
8. Luke Robers 48.88
200m
1. Makanakaishe Charamba 20.23
2. Dario Matau 20.77
Women's Results
High Jump
2. Paula Grauvogel 1.64m
6. Elise Heddens 1.59m
Long Jump
4. Amy Warren 6.04m
6. Janaya Jones 5.87m
15. Shonedra Richardson 5.42m
Shot Put
1. Marley Raikiwasa 16.25m
2. Megan Hague 15.87m
7. Paula Grauvogel 11.31m
9. Elise Heddens 10.55m
Javelin
1. Shaniya Holley 51.74m
Pole Vault
1. Alyssa Quinines-Mixon 4.10m
2. Rhiannon Held 4.00m
4. Brooke Walden 3.70m
NH. Lexie Leinneweber
400m
3. Vimbayi Maisvorewa 53.34
6. Oke Opeyemi 55.72
100m Hurdles
2. Danae Nembhard 13.62
5. Ashanti Harvey 13.98
13. Elise Heddens 14.57
Triple Jump
1. Amy Warren 12.72m
Discus Throw
2. Marley Raikiwasa 56.04
3. Megan Hague 50.80
400m Hurdles
3. Abasiono Akpan 58.38
6. Lalah Hasbrouck 1:00.68