BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (2/21/22) – Carter Shell and Courtney Thomas earned gold and silver in the men's long jump on Monday, headlining a strong opening day for the Arkansas State track and field squads at the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships.
Shell put together an outstanding series in the event on Monday inside the Birmingham CrossPlex, leading from his very first jump and capping off the day with a personal-best mark of 7.79m (25-6.75) to win gold. That sixth jump also moved him into a tie for 16th in the NCAA after Monday and helped him capture his third gold medal in four years in the event indoors. Thomas followed behind Shell with a silver-medal finish, jumping 7.56m (24-9.75) to rank sixth in program history.
A-State's men lead after the first day with 58 total points, with South Alabama 11 points behind at 47. On the women's side, the Red Wolves own a nine-point advantage on the team leaderboard with 41 points, ahead of Texas State's 32 points.
Sophie Leathers and Sarah Trammel took second and third in the women's 5000 meters, giving the women's squad valuable points later in the day. Jacob Pyeatt also recorded a podium finish in the men's 5000-meter race, taking bronze with a run of 14:31.48 lead a pack of Red Wolves that totaled 15 points in the event. Behind Pyeatt, Grayson Young, Dawson Mayberry and Nathan Herbst finished fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.
A-State's men grabbed 10 points in the pole vault, led by Bradley Jelmert's runner-up finish. The sophomore cleared 5.17m (16-11.5), while Trace South placed seventh with a mark of 4.87m (15-11.75).
In the men's weight throw, Aimar Palma Simo earned silver with a toss of 18.49m (60-8.0), while Jacob Tracy finished eighth to tack on an additional point, throwing 16.15m (53-0.0). Chastery Fuamatu placed third in the women's weight throw, hurling the implement 19.41m (63-8.0) and finishing just ahead of Grace Flowers, who finished fourth with a mark of 19.03m (62-5.0).
Sydney Lane leaped a season-best 1.72m (5-7.75) in the women's high jump to earn a fourth-place result, while Camryn Newton-Smith placed sixth with a clearance of 1.69m (5-6.5).
The Red Wolves men had four advance to Tuesday's mile final as automatic qualifiers, as Bennett Pascoe led the way with a time of 4:16.33. Rookie Lasse Funck finished in 4:18.49, while Gregoire Saury (4:19.26) and reigning champion Seth Waters (4:19.39) rounded out the qualifiers.
In the women's mile, Kayla Wade was one of three A-State runners to move on to the final, finishing third in 4:59.60. Elizabeth Martin clocked a season-best 4:59.84 to automatically qualify, while McKenzie Cornell was a time qualifier with a 5:03.98 finish.
School-record holder Cheyenne Melvin showed why she is one of the conference's top 800-meter runners as a freshman, posting the top prelim time in the event and reaching Tuesday's final. A-State also had a top qualifier in the men's 800m, as Waters finished in 1:52.68 to be one of two Red Wolves in that final. Funck also advanced with a time of 1:53.92.
The Red Wolves closed the day in the DMR with a pair of podium finishes. Sophia Oury showcased an admirable mile leg to close it out and nearly put the Red Wolves on top, but finished second in a photo finish to give her team, which also included Marina McDonough, Namibia Clavier and Cheyenne Melvin a silver-medal result with a time of 11:56.79. The men's DMR quartet of Brady Pascoe, Kobey Hill, Alejandro Vargas and Coleman Wilson took bronze with a time of 10:09.64.
Jonae Cook continued her standout season in the sprints, qualifying on time for both the 60m and 200m finals. Cook clocked a personal-best 7.50 in the 60m before eclipsing another collegiate best in the 200m later in the evening, finishing in 24.37 to tie Charmisha Morrow for fourth in school history.
Freshman Omari Walker also blazed his way into the 60m final on the men's side, running a blistering 6.83 to set a new collegiate best in the event in the process.
Tyra Nabors posted an incredible finish in the women's 60m hurdles prelims, crossing the line in 8.58 to win her heat, while Rainee Bowers (8.53q) and Chelby Melvin (8.67q) both qualified on time to advance to the event final.
In the men's 60m hurdles, both of A-State's runners – Ke'Von Holder and Will Glass – advanced, finishing in 7.96 and 8.08, respectively.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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