CLEMSON, S.C. – The North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams showcased the future of the programs on Saturday during the second day of the Clemson Invite at the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Facility.
Sophomore sprinters Javonte Harding and Jonah Ross had good showings in their 200-meter races. Harding finished second in the men's 200m in 20.71. Despite winning her heat, Ross finished the women's 200 in 23.55 for a second-place finish.
For Harding, it was already his ninth top-5 finish of his young career. His time stands as the second-best in the nation. Harding has finished top-2 in the indoor 200m five times in his career. Five Aggies competed in the 200m, with three of them finishing in the top-10 in freshman
Markevus Jackson (7th,
21.33) and Graduate
Tavarius Wright (8th, 21.57).
Ross recorded her fastest time ever in the indoor 200m. It was the best 200m finish of her career. The highest she had finished before Saturday was fourth. She had the fastest time on Saturday before Florida State's Edidiong Odiong ran a 23.34 in the second heat.
In total, nine Aggies competed in the women's 200, with three finishing in the top-10, including Graduate Symone Darius (6th, 23.821) and senior Kamaya Debose-Epps (7th, 23.827).
The Aggies also showcased their 4x400-meter relay teams on Saturday. Neither the men nor women ran their respective "A" teams. The foursome of freshmen Shemar Chambers, Markevus Jackson, sophomore Raheem Hayles and senior Akeem Lindo finished third in the men's 4x400 with a time of 3:10.01.
The Aggie men also ran the 4x400 team of sophomores Brandon Rye, Jalen Chin, Raheem Brown and freshman Kendall Turner as they finished in 3:27.50. The women's 4x400 team of sophomores Mykayla Perry, Nia Frederick, senior Nilaja Florence and freshman Pebbles Scott, finished sixth in 3:43.44.
A&T also did well in the field events. Graduate Nazah Reddick finished third in the women's high jump with a leap of 5-feet, 9 ¼-inches. Graduate Loren James had a third-place finish in the women's shot put with her best throw landing at 50-feet, 6 ¼-inches.
In the distance races, Jordan Richardson had a good weekend. On Saturday, he finished ninth in men's 3000m with a time of 8:43.39. During the first day of the Clemson Invite, he had an 11th-place finish in the mile at 4:25.90.
A&T returns to action, Jan. 21-22, at the Carolina Challenge hosted by the University of South Carolina at the USC Indoor Track and Field Facility.
