LSU’s track and field teams keep going strong – even in windy conditions.
The Tigers and Lady Tigers finished Saturday with 14 new regional qualifiers and two nation-leading times at the Tiger Invitational afternoon at Bernie Moore Track Stadium.
LSU senior sprinter Kelly-Ann Baptiste ran an NCAA-leading time of 22.96 seconds in her first 200-meter dash of the season.
Baptiste also holds the nation’s top mark this season in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.06 seconds.
Baptiste’s personal best in the 200-meter dash is 22.73 seconds. She set this mark in 2006 at the NCAA Mideast Regional.
“I didn’t really execute [the race] as well as I wanted to, but the end result was pretty decent,” Baptiste said.
Baptiste said she caught sophomore teammate Samantha Henry from behind “with at least 40 meters to go.” Henry finished second with a time of 23.14 seconds.
LSU senior Richard Thompson won the men’s 200-meter dash with a wind-aided time of 20.74 seconds.
Thompson set the school record April 5 in the 100-meter dash at the Texas Relays with a nation-leading time of 10.0 seconds.
“I’ve been afraid to run him in [the 200-meter dash] because he hasn’t always been able to run and stay relaxed throughout a race,” said LSU coach Dennis Shaver. “But he’s learned to do that, and that’s one of the reasons why he’s sprinting so much better [this season].”
LSU junior Trindon Holliday won the 100-meter dash with a wind-aided time of 10.23 seconds.
LSU junior Nickiesha Wilson won the women’s 400-meter hurdles with an NCAA-best time of 55.83 seconds.
Wilson finished the race more than six seconds faster than second-place finisher Porsche Holden of Troy University.
“My aim was to run at least a 55.1 or so, but the wind was very strong on the backstretch,” Wilson said. “I’m very happy with the time because of the wind.”
LSU freshman Melissa Ogbourne was a double winner on the day. She captured both the women’s long jump and triple jump titles.
Ogbourne jumped 19 feet, 4 3/4 inches in the long jump and 40 feet, 6 inches in the triple jump.
Both of LSU’s premier hammer throwers finished third in competition Saturday and improved their regional qualifying performances.
Sophomore Kim Williams hurled a personal-best 184 feet, 5 inches. This is good enough for fourth in school history on the women’s side.
Junior Rabun Fox threw a seasonal-best 215 feet, 11 inches – the third best in school history.
LSU junior Chad Radgowski won the men’s javelin with a throw of 237 feet, 3 inches. This ranks him sixth in the NCAA this season.
“The throws keep getting just a little bit better each meet,” Shaver said. “Rabun’s making a habit of [setting a personal best].”
LSU also had a pair of winners in the short sprint hurdle races.
LSU senior Jessica Ohanaja won the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a wind-aided time of 13.3 seconds. LSU freshman Tenaya Jones finished third with a time of 13.58 seconds.
Senior Ryan Fontenot blew away in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, winning with a wind-aided time of 13.51 seconds.
LSU junior John Kosgei won the men’s 1500-meter race with a regional-qualifying time of 3 minutes, 42.98 seconds. Kosgei’s time is sixth best in LSU history.
Other winners from Saturday include junior Kayann Thompson, 800-meter run; senior Joseph Simuchimba, 5000 meters; junior Patrick Lee, men’s 400-meter hurdles and freshman Brittani Carter, high jump.
LSU hosts the Alumni Gold meet April 19 before traveling to Philadelphia for the Penn Relays. The Alumni Gold competition is LSU’s final home meet this season.
—-Contact Robert Stewart at [email protected]