Razorbacks add pair of victories to Florida tally
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Arkansas continued to produce impressive marks during the Saturday portion of the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational as the Razorbacks won a pair of events to bring their total to five for the weekend.
Paris Peoples and Morgan Burks-Magee finished first and second in the 400m. Peoples clocked 52.14 for the victory while Burks-Magee set a career best of 52.16, moving to No. 9 on the UA all-time list. In third place behind the pair of Razorbacks was Jermaisha Arnold of Coastal Carolina in 52.63.
Lauren Martinez won her second consecutive meet in the pole vault with a clearance of 13-11 ¼ (4.25) as Kaitlyn Banas finished sixth at 12-11 ½ (3.95).
Among additional runner-up finishes by the Razorbacks, a career best of 12.96 (wind 1.3) was set by Daszay Freeman in the 100m hurdles while teammate Yoveinny Mota placed fifth in 13.12. Freeman’s time moves her to No. 4 on the UA all-time list.
An 11.19 (1.4 wind) for Jada Baylark placed her second while Tiana Wilson followed in 11.28 for fourth. Florida State’s Jayla Kirkland won the race in 11.13.
A national record was established by Shafiqua Maloney in the 800m as her outdoor debut in the event produced a time of 2:02.54, which is No. 3 on the UA all-time list. Maloney, who holds the indoor national record for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, added the outdoor version to her collection.
Maloney finished third in the race behind Georgia’s Amber Tanner (2:01.36) and Florida’s Gabrielle Wilkinson (2:01.45). On the Arkansas all-time list, Maloney only trails the school record of 2:01.61 set by Chrishuna Williams in 2015 and a 2:01.91 by Aneita Denton from 2005.
Kennedy Thomson improved her career best by a fraction in placing sixth in the 800m with a time of 2:05.37, which is now No. 11 on the UA all-time list. Quinn Owen placed seventh in an outdoor best of 2:06.05.
Arkansas clocked 3:28.20 in the 4×400 to place third overall and finish as the second fastest collegiate team. The time ranks No. 5 on the UA all-time list. The foursome included Peoples (53.4), Burks-Magee (52.4), Wilson (50.8), and Maloney (51.6). Empire Athletics, a pro team, won in 3:26.75 while Florida ran 3:27.50 in second place.
The Razorbacks ran 44.62 for third place in the 4×100 relay with a crew that included Mota, Wilson, Jayla Hollis and Baylark. Florida State won the race in 43.70 with Miami runner-up in 44.06.
Multi-eventer G’Auna Edwards cleared 5-4 ½ (1.64) for sixth in the high jump.
