The NC State track & field team took home three podium finishes this weekend at the UCF Invitational in Orlando, Florida between March 18-19.
Day One
Junior Jirah Sidberry finished first for the Pack in long jump, going 5.92 meters. She missed the podium by .01 meters, finishing fourth place overall. Redshirt senior Mikieja Covington finished with a personal-best 5.55 meters, good for second on the Pack and 12th on the day. Freshman Zahra Bichara and sophomore Nahsheeda Facey jumped 5.43 and 5.19 respectively in their first outdoor long jump in their careers. These jumps were good for 18th and 29th on the day out of 44 legal jumps.
For the men, four athletes finished in the top 11 for men’s long jump. Graduate student Von Douglas jumped 7.66 to take gold in the event, and senior Jamar Davis lept 7.63 meters to take silver. Close behind in eighth place was freshman Marcus Odums with a 7.10-meter entry. In 11th was freshman William Sistruck, who recorded a 7.06-meter attempt. Douglas’ jump is a personal best and is now the fifth-best jump in school history. Davis’ jump is his personal best as well and is right behind Douglas in school records. Finally, today was Odums’ and Sistruck’s first attempt ever in the outdoor event.
The last event the Pack participated in on the first day was men’s discus. Sophomore Lance Penegar was the lone wolf for the Pack in the event, throwing a personal best of 46.59 meters to take 11th place out of 36 athletes.
Day Two
Both men and women competed in their respective hammer throws. For the men, graduate student Andrew Haberman threw for 58.07 meters to lead the Pack and placed sixth for the day. Sophomore Lance Penegar placed 21st with his 48.61-meter throw. For the women, sophomore Makala Wright led the Wolfpack and placed 20th overall with a 48.25-meter entry, followed by graduate Caitlyn Vestor in 22nd, tossing the hammer 46.46 meters. Two more spots down was senior Kayla Beasley who threw for 45.74 meters.
Graduate student Michele Cobb won gold in the women’s triple jump with an impressive 12.86-meter try, continuing to dominate in the event for the Pack.
Odums and Sistruck finished together in the men’s 100-meter dash. Odums finished 34th in 11.45 seconds and Sistruck finished 35th in 11.50 seconds.
The track and field team will return to Raleigh to host the Raleigh Relays. The three-day event will begin March 24.
