SU Track ready for SWAC Championship run

February 15-16, the Southern University Track and Field team attended the Mike Williams Saluki USA Track and Field Open, held at the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale.
“This was the perfect meet for us to participate in leading into SWAC,” said head coach Johnny Thomas.
With 23 schools in attendance, SU was the only Southwestern Athletic Conference representative, and this was just the type of competition needed going into the Indoor SWAC championship, this weekend.
“I am confident with my performance because I am peaking at the right time,” said Erica Lattin.
Lattin is indeed peaking at the right time. Her performance in the 55-meter dash put her in sixth place with a time of 7.25. In the 200-meter, she finished with a time of 26.06.
Francella Williams also continues to do well. She placed first in 55-meter hurdles with 8.22 as her finishing time.
Southern placed third in the 4×400 relay with 3:39.31 and the distance medley relay with 13.06 time.
The girls’ middle distance runners Shahaja Pitre, Aisha Harris, Erikka Thomas, Rayla Hunt and Kenya Warren have also continued to progress.
“I felt I ran strong in the distance medley relay and my time dropped in the 400 however, I still want to drop my time in all my events,” said Aisha Harris.
Kashanna Bridges had a jump of 4.71m in the long jump competition and Danielle Frank had a 4.93m jump participating in the long jump, for the first time this year.
In the hammer throw, Carole Mitchell had a personal best throw of 10.39m, Danielle Frank threw 10.98m and Tia Mills threw11.10m.
“With the SWAC championship meet in our back yard I feel that we are fully prepared,” said team member Joseph Shelton.
The Men’s A-team placed second in the 4×400 with a 3:18.28 time. The B team placed fifth with a time of 3:22.99 time. The men also placed first in the distance medley relay with time of 10:37.21.
In the 200, there were eleven runners participating from Southern, with six placing in the top ten.
In the 400 Kevin Harris placed fifth with 49.22 time, in the 600 Che Kamani’s 1:26.43 placed him in sixth.
“Going into SWAC we are looking to defend our title and we should be very successful at that,” said Devin Daniels.
The Indoor Track SWAC Championship will be held February 23-24 at Louisiana State University.