Johnathan Jones Beats National Champion for High Jump Gold

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Little Rock's Johnathan Jones cleared 6-11 (2.11m) to beat the reigning indoor national champion and a six-time All-American in the high jump Friday as the Trojans competed at the Arkansas Invitational at the Tyson Indoor Track Center.
 
Jones' season-opening mark of 6-11 (2.11m) edged Oklahoma's Vernon Turner, a three-time Big 12 High Jump Champion and the 2022 NCAA Indoor Champion in the high jump. A Little Rock native, Jones claimed his sixth gold medal in the high jump (between indoor and outdoor seasons) with Friday's win. Jones was the Sun Belt champion in the outdoor high jump last spring and qualified for the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Prelims for the second consecutive year.
 
Cogan DeRousselle clocked the second fastest 60m hurdles time in school history as he ran 8.27 to finish 12^th overall. That marked a 0.16-second improvement in his career-best time in just his first meet of the season. Meanwhile Juan Garza's 400m time of 48.77 placed him ninth at the meet and is the ninth-fastest time in school history while his 200m time of 21.73 ranks 10^th in school history and placed him seventh at the meet.
 
Ryan Curington, who also has been to the NCAA Prelims the past two years, claimed bronze in the men's long jump with a mark of 24-0.75 (7.33m) while Dion Murombe jumped 22-2.25 (6.76m) to finish ninth.
 
Landri Schreier laid down speed on the fast track in Fayetteville. The Trojan sophomore's time of 7.61 in the 60m dash is the third-fastest time in school history while her mark of 25.10 in the 200m is the eighth-fastest in program history.
 
Gabby Ayiteyfio (placing 15^th in the meet) followed Schreier (who placed 14^th) in the 60m dash, as her 7.62 time ranks fourth in school history. In the high jump, Ayiteyfio cleared 5-3 (1.60m) to match the seventh-best mark in school history as she placed 13^th. Jayden Gilbert, who also cleared 5-3 (1.60m), finished 10^th.
 
Several newcomers to Little Rock's Team recorded notable starts to their collegiate careers. In the men's shot put, Hayden Wilson's throw of 52-0 (15.85m) ranks second in school history and placed him ninth in the competition. In the men's pole vault, Sutton Manatt also recorded the second-best mark in school history as he cleared 14-11 (4.55m) to finish tied for 17^th. Josh Beam ran the 10^th-fastest 3K time in school history as he clocked 8:33.02 to place 12^th.
 
Among the women's newcomers, Kendall King jumped 37-8 (11.48m) in the triple jump to finish eighth overall and match the second-best mark in school history while Brooklyn Marcee cleared 11-10.75 (3.63m) in the pole vault to record the fourth-best mark in school history as she tied for 14^th.
 
In the throws, Casey Griffin posted the fifth-best shot put throw (50-1.25, 15.27m) in school history and the fourth-best weight throw (50-7.5, 15.43m) in school history.
 
Little Rock returns to action next weekend when the Trojans head to Nashville for the Vanderbilt Invitational.
 
For the latest information on Little Rock Track & Field, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockTFXC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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