March 26, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Senior LaKendra Thames (Winter Garden, Fla.) shattered her personal best in the hammer throw to highlight a light day of action for the UCF track and field team on day one of the UCF Invitational Friday evening at the UCF Track & Field Complex.
Thames finished in third place in the hammer, besting her previous personal best by 10 feet with a top mark of 172-4/52.54m. Teammate Ashley Kirkpatrick (Lake Mary, Fla.) also had a personal best in the same event, registering a best throw of 155-1/47.26m.
Senior Jamie Rzepecki (East Aurora, N.Y.) won the steeplechase with a time of 11:40.32. Sophomore Jacqueline Gilchrist (Tallahassee, Fla.) and freshman Taylor Bartolotta (Middletown, Conn.) posted second-place finishes in the long jump and javelin respectively. Gilchrist had a top jump of 18-9.75/5.73m while Bartolotta had her best mark as a Knight with a throw of 125-7/38.29m in the javelin.
The discus begins competition at 9:30 a.m. Saturday for day two of the UCF Invitational. The high jump, shot put, pole vault and triple jump will also take place Saturday. The running events begin at noon with the 4x100-meter relay and conclude at 4:50 p.m. with the 4x400-meter relay.
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2010 Black & Gold Challenge
Orlando, Fla. - March 26, 2010
Javelin
2. Taylor Bartolotta, 125-7.0/38.29m (PR)
15. Ashley Bolling, 56-4.0/17.17m
Hammer
3. LaKendra Thames, 172-4/52.54m (PR)
6. Ashley Kirkpatrick, 155-1/47.26m (PR)
14. Jessica Francis, 131-0/39.93m
Long Jump
2. Jacquelyn Gilchrist, 18-9.75/5.73m
7. Ashley Bolling, 16-10.0/5.13m
-. Samantha Shields, FOUL
3,000m Steeple
1. Jamie Rzepecki, 11:40.32
4. Mason Gardberg, 12:43.43