March 16, 2013
Complete UCF Results | 2013 Black & Gold Challe nge Results
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Andy Seeley
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Coming off the program's best-ever, fifth-place finish at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships, the UCF track and field team got its outdoor season under way Saturday at the UCF Track and Field Complex. The Knights brought home first-place finishes in 12 events during Saturday's Black & Gold Challenge.
UCF's success began early - in the field events - on Saturday. From there, the Knights just kept on putting out strong performances.
Jen Clayton and Sonnisha Williams took first and second in the long jump and also set the top two marks in the nation so far on the young season. Clayton won the event with a leap of 6.14m/20-1.75 and her wind-aided mark currently ranks as the country's best. Williams' mark of 6.04m/19-9.75 is now the second-best in the nation. The Knights took the top three spots in the long jump, as Alexis Faulknor was third with a distance of 5.75m/18-10.5.
UCF's Erica Weiss recorded the meet's top result in the pole vault, clearing a height of 3.35m/10-11.75. Williams took first place in the high jump for the Knights, recording a mark of 1.65m/5-5. UCF took top honors in the triple jump as well, as Shemael Hamilton completed a leap of 11.89m/39-0.25. Hamilton's mark ranks as the nation's fifth-best so far this season.
Precious Ogunleye took first place in the shot put and also blew away her previous personal best in the hammer throw. Her toss of 54.34m/178-03 was more than 14 feet better than her previous top mark in the hammer throw. Ogunleye's winning mark in the shot put was 14.30m/46-11. Meanwhile, the Knights' Destinee Romain took third in the shot put with a toss of 13.88m/45-6.5.
On the track, UCF continued its usual strong showing in the sprints. In the 100-meter dash, the Knights went 1-2-3, as Alexis Faulknor (11.70), Lutisha Bowen (11.82) and Jen Clayton (11.95) took the top three spots, respectively. In addition, Clayton's time was a personal best.
Afia Charles dominated in the 400-meter dash. Her winning time of 54.57 seconds was more than a full second better than the second-place finisher. Charles' time is currently the second best in the nation.
UCF won the 4x100-meter relay in a time of 45.30 seconds, with Faulknor, Amanada Leland, Lutisha Bowen and Clayton making up the squad that put up the third-best time in the nation.
Meanwhile, Anne-Marie Blaney continued her assault on UCF's record book. Blaney's time of 4:39.0 in the 1500 meters set a new Freshman Record for the Knights and was good enough for second place in the Black & Gold Challenge. Ne'Ausha Logan and Erica Winston swept the top two places in the 800-meter run. Logan turned in a time of 2:10.69, which is currently the third best in the nation. Meanwhile, Winston came in at 2:11.87.
UCF swept the hurdle events as well. Bowen ran away with the 100-meter hurdles in 13.33 seconds, while Sandy Jean took the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:01.50.
UCF had the only entrants in the 5000-meter run, as Heather Classe took the first-place finish with a time of 18:35.99. Jocelyn Adona was second at 19:17.36, while Amy Ankli and Shelby Blaes rounded out the field.
The Knights remain at home next week, hosting the UCF Invitational at the Track and Field Complex. The meet is slated to take place Friday and Saturday.