MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Malia Watkins (Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglass) won the long jump and
Jasmijn Raes (Amsterdam, Netherlands) claimed the high jump title as the Northern Illinois University women's track and field team opened the outdoor portion of the season this weekend (March 14-15) at the Myrtle Beach Collegiate Challenge.
Watkins claimed the high jump with a new PR, and meet record, jump of 6.00 meters (19-08.25) while Raes cleared 1.71 meters (5-07.25) to take the high jump.
"The outdoor start was strong due to performances, being outside, the ability to practice and compete in events we have not due to temps, and great efforts," said NIU Director of Track and Field
Connie Teaberry. "We have some time to train before our next competition, sharpening up and improving on things we noticed this weekend. As long as the athletes stay locked in on their goals, take care of themselves off the track, and remember what we are working toward, which is the conference meet, they will fare well."
In the long jump, Watkins led a Huskie one-two with her six-meter jump, which came on her second attempt of the competition and ranks fourth in school history outdoors.
Precious Umukoro (Villarreal, Spain) was second with a mark of 5.85 meters (19-02.50).
Raes led a sweep of the top three spots for the Huskies in the high jump. Raes and
Kamiya Dendy (Anderson, S.C./Pendleton) both cleared 1.71 meters, with Raes claiming the title on the tiebreaker due to one previous miss by Dendy.
Arianna Calloway (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) was just behind, clearing 1.68 meters (5-06.00) to finish third.
Giorgia Fino (Francavila Fontana, Italy / Istituto Tecnko Commerciale Giovanni Calo) was third in the javelin with a mark of 36.49 meters (119-08). Fino's mark is the seventh-best in program history and came on her first attempt of the competition.
Umukoro earned her second top-five finish in the meet in the triple jump, posting a mark of 11.90 meters (39-00.50), eighth-best in school history.
Aniya Barton (Lansing, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) was seventh in the triple jump with a personal best mark of 11.53 meters (37-10.00).
Another personal best mark came in the shot put where
Ella Bertram (Sainte Geneieve, Mo./Valle Catholic) was sixth with a throw of 12.37 meters (40-07.00).
On the track,
Sadiya Shamsid-Deen (McDonough, Ga./Sprayberry) earned a fourth-place finish in the 400 meters, running 56.47.
Stella Oyebode was fourth in the prelims of the 100-meter dash, running 12.00 seconds, before taking fifth in the final in 12.10.
NIU had a pair of top-three relay finishes, including the 4x400-meters where Shamsid-Deen,
Emma Vorpagel (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead),
Rachel Dietrich (Neenah, Wis./Neenah) and
Sam Huber (Villingendorf, Germany) ran a time of 3:56.56 to finish second.
Shamsid-Deen was also a part of NIU's third-place 4x100-meter relay, where she was joined by Watkins, Oyebode and
Esther Momalife (Lagos, Nigeria), to run a time of 47.02 seconds.
NIU will return to action at Illinois State's Redbird Challenge, March 28-29, in Normal, Ill.
100-meter Dash Prelims
4.
Stella Oyebode, 12.00q
11.
Esther Momalife, 12.45
18.
Sam Huber, 12.62
100-meter Dash Final
5.
Stella Oyebode, 12.10
200-meter Dash
10.
Esther Momalife, 25.65
17.
Sam Huber, 26.14
400-meter Dash
4.
Sadiya Shamsid-Deen, 56.47
18.
Talayssia Sanders, 58.72
1,500-meter Run
11.
Rachel Dietrich, 4:56.09
5,000-meter Run
19.
Bailey Wilk, 19:17.74
Discus
11.
Ella Bertram, 35.62m (116-10)
High Jump
1.
Jasmijn Raes, 1.71m (5-07.25)
2.
Kamiya Dendy, 1.71m (5-07.25)
3.
Arianna Calloway, 1.68m (5-06.00)
Javelin
3.
Giorgia Fino, 36.49m (119-08)
Long Jump
1.
Malia Watkins, 6.00m (19-08.25)
2.
Precious Umukoro, 5.85m (19-02.50)
Shot Put
6.
Ella Bertram, 12.37m (40-07.00)
Triple Jump
4.
Precious Umukoro, 11.90m (39-00.50)
7.
Aniya Barton, 11.53m (37-10.00)
4x100-meter Relay
3. Shamsid-Deen, Watkins, Oyebode, Momalife, 47.02
4x200-meter Relay
6. Shamsid-Deen, Oyebode, Sanders, Momalife, 1:45.58
4x400-meter Relay
2. Shamsid-Deen, Vorpagel, Dietrich, Huber, 3:56.56
