Katie Izzo breaks 20-year-old meet record in 5,000m
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas senior Katie Izzo broke a 20-year-old meet record at the Razorback Invitational in the process of producing a world-leading time of 15:36.22 in her 5,000m victory during the first day of action in the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Izzo, who holds the UA school record of 15:13.09, led a 1-2-3-4-6-7 finish by Arkansas. Runner-up Lauren Gregory moved to No. 2 on the Razorback all-time list with a 15:36.51 while Logan Morris clocked 16:02.63 to move to No. 10.
“They finished really strong,” stated Arkansas women’s head coach Lance Harter. “Where we are in our training and the types of performances they’re putting on is just a reconfirmation that there’s great things to come.”
A career best followed for Gracie Hyde in 16:21.47 as Abby Gray ran 16:25.92 and Taylor Ewert posted a 16:44.44 in her debut.
“I think what is really special is these kids just believe in each other so much, there is so much confidence and allegiance to each other that they don’t want to let each other down,” noted Harter. “The race plan was to have two pods of three, and the front pod would rotate the lead every mile. The second pod knew they were going to have other people running with them and intertwined with them, which is great. They followed the race place absolutely perfectly.”
The meet record of 15:55.43, set by Razorback Lilli Kleinmann in 2001, was topped by Izzo and Gregory and they now have the top two times on the 2021 world list. Izzo 1km splits were 3:08.78, 6:19.16, 9:30.19, and 12:38.24. Gregory splits each 1km included 3:08.49, 6:18.58, 9:29.89, and 12:38.52. In the final two laps Izzo ran 68.48 (34.76, 33.72) while Gregory clocked 68.52 (34.82, 33.70).
G’Auna Edwards totaled 3,966 points in her first pentathlon of the season, which ranks sixth in the nation, to place third among a field of 10 entrants. Georgia’s Anna Hall won the event with a meet record 4,590 points to better the previous mark of 4,558 set by another Bulldog, Kendell Williams, in 2016. Runner-up with 4,182 points was Mathilde Rey of Oregon.
“We led off the day with GiGi in the pentathlon, and she had a great day until we got to the final event,” said Harter. “That’s something she can correct. So, it’s a good start and she will get to do it again at the conference meet, where she will face the top two multi-eventers who happen to be in our conference. When in doubt it’s the SEC.”
Edwards topped the field in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.39 to earn 1,041 points. She cleared a career best of 5-9.75 in the high jump for 941 points. A shot put mark of 33-1.25 (535) followed along with a 20-0.25 long jump for 880 points. In the 800m, Edwards time of 2:40.33 added 569 points.
Rosey Effiong led the Razorback sprinters in the 200m, winning her section in 23.56 to place third overall. Placing 5-6-7 were Jayla Hollis (23.67), Jada Baylark (23.69) and Morgan Burks-Magee (23.74).
