Trojan Women Pick Up Two Wins at A-State Kickoff

Meet Results | Dual Results

JONESBORO – The Little Rock women's track and field team began its indoor season over the weekend with two event wins and seven new entries in the school's top-10 list at the A-State Kickoff Klassic at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro.
 
Anika Charles was the winner in the 400, finishing in 56.43 seconds to beat the second-place runner by eight tenths of a second. Charles' time is now the third-fastest in school history in the event.
 
Little Rock also picked up an event victory in the 4x400 relay thanks to the efforts of Brittney Anderson, Anika Charles, Bless Dupeh and Jessica Gray. The quartet teamed up for a time of 3:58.22 and was the only group to finish the race under four minutes.
 
In the 55-meter hurdles finals, Nicole Edison came in sixth place with a time of 9.25 seconds. The freshman made it to the finals with a showing of 9.08 seconds in the prelims for fourth place. That time became the eighth-fastest in school history.
 
As for the 55-meter dash finals, Brittney Anderson came in sixth place in 7.42 seconds. In the prelims earlier in the day, Anderson finished sixth overall with a time of 7.43 seconds. That mark  of 7.42 is the new ninth-fastest time in program history. Christina Nickerson missed qualifying for the finals with an 11th-place finish in 7.57 seconds.
 
Tyler Kelly was the fifth-place finisher in the mile, crossing the finish line in 5:28.05. And in the 3K race, Adela Hernandez finished fourth in a time of 10:57.31.
 
The 800 saw Akeia Joyner take sixth place, as she finished the race in 2:28.89.
 
On Saturday in the triple jump, Tyra Gillam reached 9.72 meters (31' 10 3/4") to finish eighth in the event. The sophomore reached the finals with a jump of 9.59 meters, and on her fifth jump of the day got to her final mark of 9.72 meters. Gillam's mark is now the fourth-best triple jump indoors in program history.
 
On Friday night, freshman Nicole Edison led the way for Trojan field competitors in the long jump. She reached a distance of 5.11 meters (16' 9 1/4"), a mark that puts her sixth in Trojan history after her first ever competition. Edison got to 5.11 meters on her first jump of the day.
 
Tyra Gillam was also in the long jump, taking seventh in 4.84 meters (15' 10 1/2"). She saved her best for last, as her first five jumps produced a best of 4.76 meters. But on the final jump, she did eight centimeters better. That mark is a personal indoor best for Gillam and updates her seventh-best mark in Trojan history.
 
Bless Dupeh was the Trojans' top finisher on Friday, taking third place in the 200 with a time of 25.53 seconds to become the new seventh-best time in Trojan history. Brittney Anderson was sixth in 26.19 and Christina Nickerson was right behind her in 26.22.
 
Eboni Smith was eighth in 26.26 seconds, Widline Lageroy was ninth in 26.33, Arbonay Hill-Bess was 14th in 27.10 and Brittany Pinder-Jones was 15th in 27.10.

The Trojans now have nearly two full months off before their next meet. The team returns to competition at the A-State Invite on January 27-28 at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro.