Track & Field | 1/24/2023 11:03:00 AM
EAST GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams secured another three weekly honors from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) on Tuesday. The conference announced five winners, including junior sprinter Reheem Hayles, senior sprinter Jada Griffin and sophomore jumper/sprinter Aeneas Reed, Jr.
Hayles came away with co-male athlete of the week after two more wins during the Aggies time at the Carolina Challenge hosted by the University of South Carolina. The CAA named Griffin female athlete of the week after she won the 400 meters and finished third at the 4x400-meter relay at the Carolina Challenge. Reed earned male field athlete of the week after a win in the long jump on Friday.
Hayles claimed first place in the 400m on Saturday with a time of 46.30. It is the fastest 400m time in the CAA and the Southeast Region and ranks eighth nationally. Hayles also teamed with Brandon Nya, Shemar Chambers and Ryan Saint-Germain to run a 3:06.81 in the 4x400. The Aggies, a traditional national power in the 4x400, are ranked No. 1 in the conference and 10th nationally after Saturday's performance.
Hayles has won all four events he has competed in during the indoor season after winning the 400m and 4x400 at the HBCU Showcase Challenge on Jan. 14. Hayles shared the honor on Tuesday with Northeastern's Ethan Exilhomme.
"The thing that makes him good is that he is relentless every day," said Allen Johnson, A&T's director of track and field, about Hayles. "The thing that will make him a national championship contender is time and getting in those races that will make him faster. Workouts are a process, but racing is also a process. The more highly-competitive races he gets into, he's such a fierce competitor, the more his times are going to drop."
Griffin's impressive time in the 400m on Saturday was a personal-best 53.97, giving her first place in the event. She has the fastest 400m time in the Colonial and 25th-best in the nation. Griffin, a transfer out of N.C. State teamed with Fajr Kelly, Ayoola Gbolade and MyKayla Perry to finish third in the 4x400 with a conference-best time of 3:42.24. The time is more than eight seconds better than the second-best time.
"She has a relaxed attitude. She is not going to overly stress about anything," said Johnson. "I think she does a good job of keeping everything in perspective. It's never about whether I have to run this time or I'm not successful. As long as she's going out there, she is in the right mindset, and she's having a good time, she's fine. Those are things that get her to run fast."
Reed's success came on Friday when he jumped 23-feet, 9 ½ inches to win the long jump at the Carolina Challenge. It established a personal best for Reed. It also established him as the conference leader in the event. In addition, Reed ran a personal-record 6.95 in the 60m dash to finish fifth.
"We've been working on his takeoffs, trying to get him to the marks he desires," said Johnson. "He has a lot left in the tank. He's young. He is trying to understand what I am asking of him in the long jump, and he's listening. I hate to put numbers on people, but I think he can go another six to 10 inches further before this year is out."
Tuesday gives the Aggies five conference weekly honors during the indoor season. On Jan. 17, Paula Salmon won CAA female athlete of the week, and Brayden Hodgest won field athlete of the week.
