BATON ROUGE, La. – It was a long year away for the New Orleans track & field program, as the Privateers lost the 2020 outdoor season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But for the first time in 321 days, the Privateers were able to return to competition and showed out to open the year at LSU's Purple Tiger Invitational at the Carl Maddox Field House on Saturday.
"I am glad that we were able to get back in action, it has been a long 321 days," an excited
Brian Johnson, the Director of New Orleans Track & Field, said after the meet. "We had a few stand out performances and I can't wait until Jan. 29th to compete right here at LSU again against some top talent."
THE BASICS
RESULTS: No Team Scoring
MEET: LSU Purple Tiger Invitational
LOCATION: Carl Maddox Field House – Baton Rouge, La.
NOTABLES
- Shamarah Shannon put on a show every time she touched the track in the women's 60m dash. She advanced all the way to the finals and then went off to post a 7.64 in the main event, which placed her in third overall against a very talented field. The time is the third-best ever posted by a Privateer female in the event during indoors in school history. The Miami, Fla. native went 7.71 in back-to-back opening rounds of the 60, both performances also slotting into the top-10 times in program history.
- Distance student-athlete
Alec Snell opened the year in stellar fashion as he posted a new personal best of 4:17.21 in the men's mile to claim the Privateers lone event victory on the day. The mark beat his old personal record by more than seven seconds. It was the best performance by a male Privateer in the event since
Aaron Albert posted a time just slower of 4:17.61 at the KMS Invitational back on Jan. 27, 2019. That too slots into the top-10 marks in the event in school history.
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Shanell Atkins had an impressive day at her first meet in an UNO uniform as the standout thrower took third overall in the women's shot (13.32m/43-08.50) and fifth in the weight throw (16.32m/53-10.50).
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Cameron Carpenter placed third in the men's 3000m race as he led the group of three Privateers in the event with a mark of 9:21.54.
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Vojislav Gvero got the day and season underway with a fourth-place finish after he recorded a best toss of 17.07m (56-0.0) in the men's weight throw.
UP NEXT
New Orleans student-athletes will get a week off from competition before the Privateers return to Baton Rouge for the LSU Louisiana Invite at Carl Maddox Field House. Field events are tentatively scheduled to get underway at 10 AM CT while the track portion of the meet will follow at 1 PM.
NEW ORLEANS TRACK & FIELD RESULTS
Men's Weight Throw
4.
Vojislav Gvero – 17.07m (56-00.00)
8.
Matthew Christy – 14.68m (48-02.00) $
Women's Weight Throw
5. Shanell Atkins – 16.42m (53-10.50)
10.
Addison Fraker – 13.50m (44-03.50)
11.
Karena Grigenas – 12.62m (41-05.00)
Men's Shot Put
6.
Matthew Christy - 13.65m (44-09.50)*
7.
Vojislav Gvero – 13.48m (44-02.65)*
Men's Long Jump
7.
Tyroy Lanus – 6.29m (20-07.75)*
Women's Long Jump
8. Jordann Moss - 4.89m (16-00.50)
Women's Shot Put
3. Shanell Atkins – 13.32m (43-08.50)
Women's 60m Prelims
1.
Shamarah Shannon - 7.71q*
5.
Aisha Johnson - 8.03q*
6.
Briana Bell - 8:09q
11. Jordann Moss - 8:23*
12.
Alexis Taylor - 8.54
13.
Sa'Mya Holloman-Lewis - 8.73*
14.
Nyheila Ellis - 8.81*
Men's 60m Prelims
3.
Harrison Coleman - 7.26q
Women's 600m Finals
8.
Jantrell Drakes - 1:44.13
Women's 60m Semis
4.
Shamarah Shannon - 7.71
10.
Ja'Lyric Giles - 7.97
14.
Briana Bell - 8.05*
Men's 60m Semis
15. Torry Holmes – 7.37*
Men's Mile
1.
Alec Snell – 4:17.21*
Women's 400m Final
8.
Alexis Taylor - 1:05.01
10.
Nyheila Ellis – 1:09.97
Women 60m Final
3. Shamarah Shanon - 7.64
Men's 3000m Final
3.
Cameron Carpenter - 9:21.54
4. Alex Soileau – 9:28.77
5. Quentin Faulkner – 9:44.88*
Women's 4x400m Final
5. New Orleans "A" (Giles, Taylor, Drakes, Ellis) - 4:37.51
* - New Personal Best
$ - Tied Personal Best
q - Qualified for next round
