TAMPA, Fla. – The Fire made the transition outside for the first time this spring on Friday. Davien Worrels and Irmiris Mendez led Southeastern University track athletes in the Tampa Track Classic.
Worrels and Mendez both won the 100 and 200-meter events as the top highlights of the first outdoor competition. Worrels and Malik Blunt went back-to-back for the Fire men in each event with a winning time of 10.73 and 10.86 for the men's 100 meters and times of 21.42 and 21.65 or the 200 meters.
Mendez was just as impressive on the women's side with a top time of 11.96 seconds in the 100 meters and crossed the line in 24.71 for the 200 meters.
In an event dominated by Fire participants, Dario Laing hurdled his way to a 400-meter hurdle first place in 53.16, which was the lone NAIA National B Standard of the day. SEU saw six others take second, third and fourth and sixth through eighth of the event. Kevin Davis Jr. (53.83), Mario Thomas (54.35) and Cedric Johnson, Jr. (54.52) were the first trio and then the second three were comprised of James Turner (54.85), Josiah Dunlap (55.98), and Zackary Cho-Sam (56.27).
For the other men's hurdle event, Dunlap tied for the top 60-meter hurdle time of 8.68, while Cho-Sam was third (8.92).
Behind Worrels and Blunt in the 100 meters, Jacoreyus Demps crossed the line in 11.24 for fifth. Davis, Jr. garnered fourth in the 200 meters (22.03), while Demps was seventh (22.38).
Completing the men's placings, Zakaiel Crawford and Don Salomon went back-to-back in fourth (50.99) and fifth (51.21) for the 400 meters.
Back on the women's side, Jessica Brown placed in both hurdle events. Brown was fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.44, while she added a fifth in the 400-meter hurdles (1:06.69). Grace Coggins took seventh in the 400-meter hurdles (1:08.26).
In the 800-meter run, Jaa'Ln McBride touched the finish line in fifth with a time of 2:22.78.
Ariyah Smith grabbed sixth in the 100-meter dash (13.12), while Jillian Blaser and Grace Feder were seventh (4:58.46) and ninth (4:58.87) in the 1500 meter run.
Portions of both SEU track and field teams head Daytona Beach on Sunday for the Embry-Riddle Classic.
