The LSU women’s distance medley relay team ran faster than ever at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, March 14, and broke another school record as they placed fourth in the country.
Callie Hardy, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Michaela Rose and Lorena Rangel Batres barely qualified in the top 12 for a spot at nationals, even after setting program and conference records throughout the season.
Hardy and Onojuvwevwo had the hard task of keeping up with the rest of the pack, which they managed as the baton was handed off to Rose for the third leg. The senior made the 800-meter look like a breeze as she climbed from 12th to fifth in two minutes. Senior Rangel Batres anchored the team, leaping from fifth to fourth in the last mile for a 10:47.17 finish.
It was a season-best time for the squad, which shaved off three seconds from the SEC championship-winning time it set two weeks ago to earn the third program DMR record to cap the season. Its top-five finish earned the LSU team its first five points of the two-day meet.
The LSU women were well represented in Virginia Beach, with seven athletes competing and accumulating 11 points over the weekend to tie for 20th in the nation.
Earlier on Friday, the preliminary rounds saw Rangel Batres qualify for her last race with LSU at 4:35.15. Her final mile was a thriller as the 10 runners competing remained tenths apart until the end. Rangel Batres claimed the ninth spot and is heading to the World Indoor Championships next week to represent her home country, Mexico.
The SEC championships didn’t get to see the best of the country’s No. 1 women’s 60-meter sprinter Tima Godbless, who took a false start. Her misfortune traveled to nationals where she was disqualified for another false start in the preliminary round, denying her a shot at redemption.
Onojuvwevwo was also disqualified in the SEC championship for a false start but cruised through the 400-meter prelims at nationals. She finished first in her heat at 51.61 and, in the finals on Saturday, tallied a point for LSU after placing eighth.
Rose was crowned the 800-meter SEC champion two weeks ago and returned to her home state to face other conference champions on the national level. She claimed fourth in the final race and the final five points for the LSU women.
Only two members of the men’s team qualified for nationals, but they were able to accumulate eight points. The duo has racked up LSU all-time performances throughout the indoor season and made its NCAA championship debuts this weekend.
Jaiden Reid entered the 200-meter ranked No. 3 nationally and put up a fight with the other top seven, who all finished within the same second. The leader held a time of 20.13, and the last sprinter ran a 21.00. Reid’s time stopped at 20.75, earning him fifth place and four points.
Jahiem Stern earned a matching fifth place in the 60-meter hurdle race with a personal best 7.55, tallying another four points for the duo. His time stands as the second-fastest in LSU history on the event.
The indoor season came to a sweet end after a season filled with gold medals and all-time bests.
The Tiger’s outdoor season kicks off at home this Saturday, March 22, at the Bernie Moore Stadium.
