COLUMBIA, Mo. – Redshirt junior Valerie Thames (Milwaukee, Wis.) stole the show at the Missouri Collegiate Challenge on Friday, setting the school, meet and facility record with a first place finish in the 60m hurdles. Thames crossed the finish line at 8.45, .15 faster than her previous best and .05 faster than the previous school record, set by Alyssa Felton on Feb. 19, 2016 at last year's Missouri Collegiate Challenge.
Thames was one of 15 athletes to set personal records at the meet, as the Tigers finished first in seven events. Among the other notable finishes included sophomore Kahmari Montgomery (Plainfield, Ill.), who finished first in the 60m dash with a personal-record time of 6.85 and senior LaQuisha Jackson (Chattanooga, Tenn.), who set the meet record in the 400m dash with a time of 54.28. Montgomery's time stands as the ninth-fastest 60m indoor time in program history.
In the men's weight throw, Mizzou finished first, second and fourth, with all three Tigers setting personal records. Redshirt freshman Patrick Kunza (Wentzville, Mo.) took home the top spot with a throw of 19.22m (63-0.75), marking the sixth time this season he has improved his mark in the weight throw. Redshirt senior Ahren Bohanan (St. Charles, Mo.) finished second in the event with a mark of 18.96m (62-2.5), while redshirt junior Sean Harrell (Springfield, Mo.) finished fourth with a throw of 16.52m (54-2.5).
"Today was highlighted by our women's sprinters and men's weight throwers," said head coach Brett Halter. "They all did a terrific job. It was exciting to see a validation of their efforts through the fall and up to this point in the indoor season. They have been working hard, and recorded some impressive marks. Valerie Thames' school record in the 60m hurdles was an outstanding performance. Overall, today was a very productive day, and we are now looking forward to competing at a high level at the conference meet next weekend."
Four other Tigers set personal records in sprints events, as redshirt junior Jerrad Mason (Bridgetown, Barbados) and sophomore Beresford Sweeney (Kingston, Jamaica) posted times of 6.95 and 7.14 in the 60m dash, respectively. For the women, redshirt sophomore Tsai-Anne Joseph (St. Augustine, Trindad & Tobago) finished second in the 60m dash with a time of 7.77 and senior Sydney Wells (Fort Smith, Ark.) finished second in the 400m dash with a time of 56.84.
In the shot put, redshirt sophomore Avery Carter (Lee's Summit, Mo.) finished first with a throw of 16.25m (53-3.75). Junior Shammai Ilis (Houston, Texas) set a personal best mark in the triple jump with a jump of 12.01m (39-5), while junior Rauno Liitmae (Estonia) made his pole vault debut with a mark of 4.58m (15-0.25).
Mizzou had a pair of runners set personal marks in the 800m run, as freshman Faramola Shonekan (Columbia, Mo.) finished third at 2:26.34 and freshman Dylan Quisenberry (Wildwood, Mo.) finished fifth at 1:59.49. In the mile run, sophomore Hannah Thomas (Urbandale, Iowa) took home the top mark, running a personal record time of 5:05.56, while freshman Karina Liz (Aurora, Ill.) finished first in the 600m run with a time of 1:37.70.
Mizzou will now enter postseason competition for the indoor season, beginning with the SEC Championships in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 24-25.
For all the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MIZ_TrackField).
Results – Track Events
60m Dash, Men – 1. Kahmari Montgomery, 6.85 (6.92q) PR, #9 // 2. Jerrad Mason, 6.98 (6.95q) PR // 3. Niager Mathis, 6.98 (7.02q) // 6. Jonathan Holder, 7.10 (7.08q) // 10. Beresford Sweeney, 7.14 PR
60m Dash, Women – 2. Tsai-Anne Joseph, 7.77 (7.83q) PR // 3. LaQuisha Jackson, 7.92 (7.40q)
60m Hurdles, Women – 1. Valerie Thames, 8:45 PR, SR
200m Dash, Women – 2. Maya Cody, 24.57 // 3. Tsai-Anne Joseph, 25.94
400m Dash, Women – 1. LaQuisha Jackson, 54.28 MR // 2. Sydney Wells, 56.84 PR // 3. Emma Vickers, 58.82
600m Run, Men – 2. Robert Kuhlmann, 1:23.93
600m Run, Women – 1. Karina Liz, 1:37.70
800m Run, Men – 5. Dylan Quisenberry, 1:59.49 PR // 9. Justin Loquercio, 2:03.68
800m Run, Women – 3. Faramola Shonekan, 2:26.34 PR
Mile Run, Men – 5. Brian Hernan, 4:32.83
Mile Run, Women – 1. Hannah Thomas, 5:06.56 PR // 2. Bailey Hession, 5:07.51 // 5. Samantha Farmer, 5:13.34 // 6. Bianca Mello, 5:17.85 // 9. Elly DeTurris, 5:32.70
3,000m Run, Men – 2. Michael Widmann, 8:47.11 // 6. Tim Johnson, 9:12.15 // 7. Tyler Gillam, 9:19.30
3,000m Run, Women – 2. Kaelyn Balch, 10:28.00 // 3. Emmie Hahn, 10:55.21
Results – Field Events
Pole Vault, Men – 6. Rauno Liitmae, 4.58m (15-0.25) PR
Triple Jump, Women – 3. Shammai Ilis, 12.01m (39-5) PR
Shot Put, Men – 1. Avery Carter, 16.25m (53-3.75) // 3. Will Fife, 15.36m (50-4.75)
Shot Put, Women – 3. Gabi Jacobs, 14.66m (48-1.25)
Weight Throw, Men – 1. Patrick Kunza, 19.22m (63-0.75) PR // 2. Ahren Bohanan, 18.96m (62-2.5) PR // 4. Sean Harrell, 16.52m (54-2.5) PR