By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.—The Tennessee Tech track and field team headed to familiar OVC territory this weekend and came back even more prepared for the upcoming OVC Outdoor Championships. The Purple and Gold squad competed at the Austin Peay Invitational in Clarksville, Tenn., on Friday-Saturday.
"I was very pleased with the teams performance today," head coach Wayne Angel said. "We were solid and consistent. We are rounding the corner and getting back into championship fitness. Na'Asha and D'Airrien were dominant today, they served notice to the conference that they mean business. Overall I feel that we are on track to do something special in four weeks. I'm very excited."
The Golden Eagle squad opened up day one on a high note with Antonia Susnjar placing second in the javelin with a 39.35-meter throw, which topped her former Tech shool record that she set exactly one year ago at the 2016 APSU Invitational. Raven Smith placed third in the triple jump with an 11.89-meter leap, while teammate NaScottisha Drummnond placed eighth in the event with an 11.30-meter jump to round out Friday's events.
Then on Saturday, Na'Asha Robinson beat out all other runners in the 400-meter with a time of 53.35. She clocked in three seconds faster than the next runner from Austin Peay, while topping all other runners from schools of Tennessee State, Kentucky Wesleyan, Morehead State, Cumberland (Tenn.), and Kentucky State. Jaydean Joseph placed third in the race with a 57.04 mark.
D'Airrien Jackson also saw success in the meet as she claimed a first-place finish in the 800-meter in a field of 52 runners with a time of 2:09.36. She beat out runners from Murray State, Western Kentucky, Belmont, Morehead State, UT Martin, Lipscomb, Cumberland (Tenn.), and Tennessee State, while clocking in six seconds faster than the next participant. Sarah Brandt placed fourth in the race with a time of 2:17.53, while Madison Stremler finished sixth with a 2:19.73 mark. Andrea Retano placed 23rd in the race with a time of 2:28.88.
Sharnique Leonce placed fourth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.56, which tied Belmont's LaCarol Baynes for the fourth-place spot. Jenna Storms competed in the 1,500-meter run for the Purple and Gold squad and placed 23rd with a time of 4:58.24, while teammate Purity Murray placed 34th with a time of 5:09.15.
Eshe' Robinson claimed a ninth place finish in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.27, while Crystal Liebenberg finished second in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:04.27.
The 4x100-meter relay team of Liebenberg, Jackson, Leonce, and Robinson placed first with a time of 46.36, which created a new Tech school record and beat out all other teams from Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State, Austin Peay, UT Martin, and Kentucky Wesleyan. Drummond claimed a second place finish in the high jump with a 1.64-meter jump, while teammate E. Robinson placed ninth with a 1.49-meter leap. E. Robinson placed 12th in the long jump with a 4.60-meter leap and 14th in the shot put with a 9.72-meter throw.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
