Track & Field | 1/28/2024 12:16:00 AM
NEW YORK, NY – North Carolina A&T men's and women's indoor track and field teams returned to the Armory for Saturday's second and final day of the Dr. Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge. After wins in the men's triple jump and 60-meter hurdles on Friday, the Aggies claimed three more wins on Saturday.
Junior Fajr Kelly captured her second win in the women's 800 meters this season. She did it by posting a personal-record time of 2:08.67 to win the collegiate division women's 800 on Saturday. Kelly entered the weekend with the best time in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in the 800m at 2:09.04. She improved her No. 1 ranking and now leads Northeastern's Nicole Dunbury by under three seconds.
Also entering the winner's circle was senior Shemar Chambers. The reigning CAA men's indoor 200m champion and second-place finisher in the 400m at the CAA indoor last season won the 400m invitational on Saturday in 47.96. Chambers is ranked second in the CAA with his 47.36 recorded at the Gamecock Opener on Jan. 13.
Chambers helped the Aggies secure another win on Saturday as the 4x400-meter relay won by running a season-best 3:12.30.The A&T team of Chambers, freshmen brothers Xzaviah Taylor and Isaiah Taylor and senior Caleb Jackson finished ahead of six other schools who ran season-bests in UConn (3:14.56), Rowan (3:15.87), Monmouth (3:16.91), Albany (3:21.07), Brown (3:21.44) and Manhattan (3:21.58). The Aggies 4x4 is still ranked No. 2 behind Campbell, who ran 3:10.36 on Jan. 26.
Junior Pebbles Scott also had a good showing in New York. Scott ran a season-best 24.29 in the women's 200m college division. Her performance ranks her fifth in the conference. Meanwhile, the Aggies finished third and fourth in the men's high jump, respectively. Junior Kendrell Goodes placed third by jumping a season-best 6 feet, 6 ¾ inches. Freshman Yule Pieters finished behind him in fourth, with his best jump recorded at 6 feet 4 ¾ inches. Goodes now ranks third in the conference in the high jump. Peters ranks sixth in the league.
Another best occurred in the men's weight throw. Sophomore Qualiar Newton threw a personal-best 60 feet, 2 ½ inches to finish ninth on Saturday. The throw moves into a fourth-place ranking in the CAA, making him one of only four CAA throwers to go over 60 feet this season.
A&T has two more meets before the CAA Indoor Track and Field Championships held at the Armory, Feb. 22-23. They will head to Virginia Military Institute on Feb. 2-3 to participate in the VMI Winter Relays. Their final preparation will be at Clemson University for the prestigious Tiger Paw Invitational, Feb. 9-10.
