GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Fire returned to action Friday afternoon with quality results. Joseph Taylor raced to the 200-meter title and helped the 4x400-meter relay team grab first place to pace the Southeastern University Indoor Track & Field teams at the Celebration Pointe Classic event.
Taylor leaned across the finish line as the top SEU individual finish in 21.63 seconds for a NAIA 'B' Standard qualifying time. He also ran the Fire anchor leg after James Turner, James Williamson III and Jacoreyus Demps blazed to the top 4x400-meter relay time of 3:16.29 for an 'A' Standard time.
SEU saw two other 'B' level standards reached by Dario Laing and Williamson III. Laing hurdled his way to a time of 8.07 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles for third. Also in third, Williamson III sprinted to a 6.82-second finish in the 60-meter.
On the women's side, Jaa'Ln McBride and MarieAnge Moussignac garnered third places in the 600-meter and shot put events. McBride ran a 1:36.01 for third. Moussignac threw the shot put 12.28 meters and she added a fifth place finish in the weight throw (15.25m).
Emma Terry fired off a 11.94-meter effort in the women's shot put for fourth and also a 10th place in the weight throw (12.73m). Maci Mills added a sixth place finish on the track in the 800-meter in 2:14.38.
For the men, Malik Blunt ran an impressive time of 21.90 seconds for third, only .27 behind Taylor in first. In the 600-meter, Mario Thomas, Don Salomon and Sebastian Lebron were within a few seconds of each other in sixth (1:25.59), seventh (1:26.12) and ninth (1:29.59).
Along with the top 4x400m finish, the team of Zakaiel Crawford, Kevin Davis Jr., Cedric Johnson Jr. and Philip Clarke narrowly missed a 'B' Standard time by only half a second (.53) to place sixth in the relay in 3:19.53
SEU makes another return trip to Gainesville next Friday and Saturday at the Sun Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.
