Collegiate track is different in that sometimes, instead of racing or jumping against other athletes, runners and field participants are competing against a certain mark.
The LSU track team was very successful doing that this weekend when it competed at the United Heritage Invitational Saturday in Boise, Idaho.
The Tigers compiled five NCAA automatic qualifying marks and 10 provisional ones against stiff competition, as four of the nation’s Top 15 teams were represented in Idaho.
For the men, success was experienced both on the field and on the track.
The Tigers swept the triple jump, as three LSU competitors finished in the top three spots of the event.
Senior LeJuan Simon finished first, jumping a distance of 54′-6″, while sophomore Gerald Taylor and senior John Moffitt finished second and third, respectively, with both posting jumps over 52 feet. Simon’s jump was the best in the NCAA thus far this season and a personal record.
Pole vaulter also recorded a personal record and an automatic NCAA Championship birth, clearing 18-1 and finishing third in the competition.
As for the running events, Robert Parham and Kelly Willie both recorded provisional times, in the 200 and 400 meters, respectively.
Parham ran a season best 21.13 seconds in the 200-meters, while Willie turned in a time of 46.97 in the 400-meters.
The 4×400-meter relay team also recorded a provision time. The squad composed of Willie, Bennie Brazell, Pete Coley and Siraj Williams posted a time of 3:08.28 and finished second overall.
As for the women, Nicole Toney won the women’s triple jump with a season best 43-10 leap.
Sprinters Muna Lee and Hazelann Regis turned in NCAA automatic qualifying times.
The defending 200-meter national champion Lee won the event with a time of 23.43, while Regis won the 400-meter with a time of 52.88.
In the 800-meters, All-American Neisha Bernard-Thomas turned in a provisional time of 2:06.59.
Tania Woods, who competed in the 60 and 200-meter runs, turned in provisional times in both. She ran 7.42 in the 60 and a 23.81 in the 200.
Stephanie Durst also ran a provisional time in the 200, finishing fourth at 23.89.
In the 4×400, the team of Bernard-Thomas, Regis, Monique Hall and Brittany Harris turned in a provisional time of 3:08.28 in winning the race.
The track team will return to action next weekend when it participates in the Armory Invitational in New York on Feb. 13-14.