HAMMOND, La. – A pair of New Orleans track and field athletes established facility records on Friday at the Southeastern Lion Invitational.
High jumper
Brandon Knight cleared the bar at a personal-best 6-10.75 to win his event and establish a new facility record. The former UNO basketball player beat the previous facility mark of 6-8 by unattached athlete Babatunde Babalola, who finished second in the event with a 6-8.25.
The result could give Knight a chance at qualifying for NCAA regionals, according to Privateer head coach Ty Sevin. It would represent a mission accomplished for Knight, who returned to track and field this year for the first time in five years, last competing in the high jump as an accomplished prep-athlete.
After entering the weekend ranked No. 80, Knight's height would make the senior No. 30 based in the NCAA East Region. The top 48 qualify for the NCAA Regional meet to be held in Greensboro, N.C. on May 23-24.
“I knew going into today, that it could be my last meet,” said Knight. “I was trying to make it to seven feet and I came close to that mark while doing my best jump this year.”
“From the beginning of the season, I was striving to make it to the NCAA Regionals and now I have likely accomplished my goal as a first-time track athlete at the college level.”
If Knight's ranking holds over the next few weeks, he would join nationally-ranked thrower
Matti Mortimore in the NCAA Regionals.
Mortimore opened the day's events by posting a result of 223-6 in the javelin to grab first place in the event. Despite less than optimal weather conditions, Mortimore was able to top the previous facility and meet mark of 208-2 established by Louisiana Tech's Joshua Cox en route to his fourth victory of the season.
Other personal best efforts were registered by
Rebecca Callaway,
Alex Mena,
Jessica Stone and
Andrea Martin.
Callaway's results came in the 200m (31.82) and 400m (1:12.55). Callaway's 400m time was just 0.03 removed from besting her previous personal best time by two seconds. Mena registered a 2:08.36 in the 800m, eclipsing his 2:09.59 from earlier this season.
Stone and Martin both accomplished their personal bests in the 3000m with Stone finishing the event in 11:43.02 with Martin completing the event in 13:13.72
Originally slated to be the final regular season meet of the year, Sevin plans to take Knight, Mortimore and javelin thrower
Elena Villar to the Samford Invite on Apr. 27. More information on that meet will be announced later in the week.
