Smith's pair of program history impacts leads Barton Track and Field at Tyson Invitational #GoBarton

Keliza Smith's pair of program history impacts highlighted the Barton Community College track and field team program's performances this weekend competing in the Tyson Invitational held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Previously nationally qualified in three events, Smith competed in all three of the two-day meet improving two of her event times. Most notably, Smith's 200m racing to a 23.54 10th place clocking moved up from 5th to 3rd on the program's all-time fastest. Kayda Austin also bettered her national qualifying time by clocking a 24.38 to place 33rd overall in the 64-entry field.

Smith's anchor leg of the nation's leading 4x400m squad of Natasha Fox, Austin, and Shone Walters, brought home the baton in 3:44.42 as the time checked into the 10th slot of the program's all-time best.

The Cougars reset seven combined season or season best performances with Asharria Ulett coming away with the lone event victory by bettering the twenty-six member, four-year level field on an 8.57 clocking as fellow national qualifier Ty'yanah Adams placed 14th at 8.80.

The meet served as the final tune-up for the 4th ranked women and the 8th ranked men's squads prior to the indoor post-season beginning February 22 in Pittsburg for the KJCCC/Region 6 Championships. National qualifiers throughout the season then advance to the NJCAA Championships held March 7-8 in Lubbock, Texas.

Additional improvements, each coming from previously national qualified individuals, were Fox in the 400m (56.02), Chloe Perryman's season best long jump (5.69m, 19-08.00), and Kymia Bridgett in the triple jump (11.74m, 38-6.25).

On the men's side, Simeon Adams improved his 800m national qualifying time to 1:53.40. Aragorn Straker was just .4 seconds off his qualifying time but did have the highest overall placing with a runner-up 6.79 of the 33-man field.

Tyson Invitational Results

Women:
60m: 23rd Kayda Austin (ANQ 7.73)
60m Invitational: 11th Keliza Smith (ANQ7.39)
200m: 10th Keliza Smith (PB ANQ 23.54 *Moves up from 5th to 3rd Program Best), 33rd Kayda Austin (PB ANQ 24.38), 62nd Kialia Claiborne (25.76)
400m: 23rd Natasha Fox (PB ANQ 56.02), 52nd Kialia Claiborne (58.98)
800m: 21st Shone Walters (ANQ 2:16.05)
60m Hurdles: 1st Asharria Ulett (ANQ 8.57), 14th Ty'yanah Adams (ANQ 8.80)
4x400m Relay: 18th SB 3:44.42 *10th Program Best (Natasha Fox, Kayda Austin, Shone Walters, Keliza Smith)
Long Jump: 28th Chloe Perryman (ANQ 5.69m, 18' 8")
Triple Jump: 20th Celine Riddle (ANQ 12.06m, 39' 7"), 24th Kymia Bridgett (ANQ 11.74m, 38' 6.25")
Weight Throw: 24th Cedricka Williams (ANQ 16.91m, 55' 5.75")

Men:
60m: 2nd Aragorn Straker (ANQ 6.79), 10th Wanyae Belle (ANQ 6.93)
200m: 30th Wanyae Belle (ANQ 21.62), 32nd Aragorn Straker (ANQ 21.69)
800m: 31st Simeon Adams (PB ANQ 1:53.40)
Long Jump: 10th Trevon Hamer (ANQ 7.22m, 23' 8.25")
Shot Put: 28th Ricardo Hayles (ANQ 16.81m, 55' 2"), Jaylon Calder (ANQ NM)