FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (February 8, 2019) – North Carolina A&T indoor track and field ventured into another difficult competition Friday for the first day of the Tyson Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas at the Randal Tyson Track Complex.
The second day of the meet starts on Saturday morning at 10:30 with the women's pole vault. The first running event begins at 1 p.m., with the women's 200-meter final.
Friday featured another outstanding showing from freshman standout Brandon Hicklin. Hicklin jumped 25-feet, 1 ¾-inches to win the men's long jump. It was his best jump of the season keeping him No. 1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). His jump on Friday could also move Hicklin into the top-25 in the nation in the event.
Hicklin's win was his second of the season.
Sophomore Trevor Stewart was effective again in the 400m. Stewart ran 46.55 to finish third behind Baylor's Wil London and Florida's Chantz Sawyer. It was Stewart's best 400m indoor time of his career. He came into the weekend ranked 19th in the country in the 400 with the 46.66 time he ran at the Carolina Challenge last week. That same time had him ranked fourth in the MEAC.
Senior Justin Hamilton finished ninth in 47.65. Hamilton came into the weekend ranked third in the MEAC with his 46.65 time at the Carolina Challenge.
N.C. A&T's Kayla White, who ranks in the top-10 nationally in three events (60m, 6mh, 200m), returned to action Friday. White competed in the 60mh where she had the second-fastest qualifying time with a time of 8.04. It was a personal-best for the All-American standout. Junior Madeleine Akobundu also qualified on Friday with a time of 8.25.
In the final, White finished fourth (8.10) while Akobundu had a fifth-place finish with a personal-best 8.12.
