Track & Field: Cavaliers open weekend with strong performance

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams completed the opening day of the weekend in three different locations on Friday with strong performances from several athletes.

Mia Barnett continued a historic start to her collegiate career at the Valentine Invitational in Boston, Massachusetts. Barnett put down a personal best time in the mile run as she placed 13^th with just four collegians ahead of her time at 4:35.09. On top of besting the UVA freshman record that she set in her first attempt this season, the time ranks fourth on the Virginia all-time performance list. As of Feb. 10, only two competitors in the country had posted a better time this season.

Jada Seaman stayed on pace with her steady upward trajectory this season at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, S.C. In the long jump she finished 11^th overall with six collegians posting better marks. Seaman’s mark of 6.17m (20’3”), was her best of the season. Seaman also ran a season-best time in the 60m as she came in at 7.39, just .02 seconds shy of her personal best.

On the men’s side, Yasin Sado smashed his previous best time in the 3000m by over ten seconds in a seventh-place finish (8:02.75). Sado’s mark ranks ninth on the Virginia all-time performance list. Sado was followed by teammate Nathan Mountain who also set a personal best (8:10.22).

Tavaris Kelly set a personal best in the 60m with his time of 6.92. His new best sees him ascend to seventh on the Virginia all-time indoor performance list.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• Kayla Bonnick ran 7.49 in the 60m
• Jordan Willis placed 13th in the 400m at 47.12
• Freshman Alex Sherman ran 48.48 in the 400m
• Owayne Owens reached a distance of 7.30m (23’11.5”) in the long jump
• Heldi Valikaj jumped 7.09m (23’3.25”) in the long jump
• Alix Still and Zoe Rice jumped 5.86m (19’2.75”) and 5.68m (18’7.75”) respectively in the long jump
• Jada Pierre ran 7.81 in the 60m dash and 8.85 in the 60m hurdles
• Liam Bellamy finished third in the 800m with a PB (1:50.74)
• Rohan Asfaw ran 14:01.85 and finished fifth in the 5000m
• Janae Profit recorded a personal best in the weight throw (15.64m / 51’3.5”)
• Morgan Johnson threw 15.54m (51’) in the weight throw
• Alahna Sabbakhan finished seventh in the 800m (2:08.20)
• Claire Frazier Bolton set a personal best in the 800m (2:10.68)
• Keara Seasholtz ran 2:10.70 in the 800m

Up Next 

Virginia will resume competition at the Tiger Paw Invitational and Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational tomorrow (Feb. 12) at 10:30 a.m.