3/9/20
(COLUMBUS) – The Truett McConnell University men’s track & field team finished runner-up of six teams with 181 points at the Adonica Ferguson Classic hosted by Columbus State University. Columbus won the invitational (209) and the Bears defeated Appalachian Athletic Conference member Point University, who finished in sixth (19).
Individually, junior Keontrae Clayton highlighted the day for the Bears winning two events. Clayton first won the men’s 100m dash, of 12 runners, with a time of 10.84. Secondly, Clayton also took first of 16 runners in the men’s 200m dash with a time of 21.93. Fellow junior Jabari Williams also won two events; first of four in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 16.38 and first of five in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 1:00.92.
The men’s fielding events had another stellar weekend. Senior Donald Bonner won the men’s triple jump with a mark of 13.69m, while junior Simeon Lipsey won the men’s pole vault with a mark of 3.80m. Junior Jabari Williams and freshman Wes Ledford also finished top five in the men’s triple jump; Williams placed fourth (12.87m) and Ledford placed fifth (12.59m).
In the men’s long jump, junior Sharod Cobb finished runner-up with a mark of 6.80m, while sophomore Malik Cannon took fourth (6.20m). Three Bears finished back-to-back in the men’s javelin throw, led by sophomore Dillon Gooch in runner-up with a mark of 37.84m. Lipsey followed in third (37.02m) and freshman Kris Fuller took fourth (36.76m). Freshman Seth Fowler placed second in the men’s shot put, first of all the collegiate competitors, while junior Kyle Stringer finished third (11.73m). Lastly, Stringer finished runner-up in the men’s discus throw with a mark of 35.24m, while Gooch took fourth (33.36m) and Fowler took fifth (32.76m).
TMU’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams both took first of four teams. The 4x100m relay finished with a time of 42.25 and featured sophomores Joe Parilla, Keishon Franklin, Hoy Thurman IV and junior Clayton, while the 4x400m relay finished with a time of 3:22.27 and featured Bonner, freshman Kyle McGuire, sophomore Donald Swinson and Franklin.
Rounding out the Bears’ top five finishes were Bonner, who placed third, in the men’s 400m dash (51.23), McGuire in the men’s 400m dash (51.55) and freshman Ben Lapsley in the men’s pole vault (3.20m). In addition, Swinson earned three team points for TMU in the men’s 800m with a sixth-place finish (2:06.19).
To see the full list of results click here.
Up next, the Bears will compete in the Southern Invitational in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday, March 13 – Saturday, March 14.
