Track and Field: Men win, women finish runner up

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Troy track and field was dominant last weekend at the UAB Spring Invite. The Trojans had nineteen total podium finishes, including six first place finishers.

It was the throwing events that made the biggest impact for the group. Of the 19 podium finishes, 13 of them came from throwers.

Cole Stewart earned his first victory of the season and a season-best 66.60m in the javelin throw. Javon Osbourne struck gold in both the shot put and discus with season-best marks. Biniosa Ezukuse bounced back from her foul-out at Ole Miss with a win in the shot put.

Jordan Bailey led jumps. Bailey placed first in the triple jump with a mark of 11.73m, her first ever collegiate win. Catherine Forbes was right behind her in the runner-up position, alaso tallying her first career podium finish.

In the sprints, freshman Josh Kalozi placed fourth in the 200m dash. Kalozi ran a new personal record of 22.06. Kendal Culmer also finished fourth in the 100m dash. Culmer had a new personal best of 10.91 and improved his 200m time to 22.12, where he placed sixth.

Hurdles saw a pair of top finishes as well. Eugene Vickers placed second in the men’s 110m hurdles. He ran a season best of 14.57 to earn silver Tajah Martin-Palmer also earned second in the women’s 100m hurdles. She finished with a personal best of 14.22. Edrich Alblas placed third in the 400m hurdles, running a new career best 55.95.

Finally for the distance events, the 800m was led by Saindeley Dorsainvil. The junior placed fifth with a 1:56.48. Makenna Calbert was fifth in the 1500, running a time of 4:57.81. For the 5K, Aisley McMeen earned a new career best time of 20:23.75 to place 10th. On the men’s side, Gavan Baxley made his debut in the event, barely joining the sub-16 club with a time of 15:59.1.

The Trojans took the team victory on the men’s side, while the women placed second overall behind the host team UAB Blazers. Along with UAB, the Trojans competed against other Division I schools including Arkansas State, Jacksonville State, Alabama A&M and others.

Troy now looks on to a trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the Crimson Tide Invitational held by Alabama this weekend. Following that, they will come home for the Doc Anderson Invitational in Troy.