BOSTON, MA. — The Bulldog track and field teams racked up 10 victories and three national records during the one-day The Track at New Balance Collegiate Showdown in Boston Saturday.
While Christopher Morales Williams (Canadian under-23 400-meter dash), Hossam Hatib (Moroccan overall 400m) and Kelsie Murrell-Ross (Grenadian overall shot put) all established fresh records for their native lands, graduate transfer Alex Kolesnikoff sent the shot put a NCAA leading distance for his second straight win in the event.
Georgia’s distance runners also completed their two days of action at the Vanderbilt Invitational and left Nashville with a couple wins and revisions to the school record books.
The Lowdown: Morales Williams led a 1-2 finish in the men’s 400m and left the facility with an under-23 Canadian national record as well as the NCAA’s best time this year. His finish of 46.05, which ranks fifth in school history, topped his country’s previous national record of 46.42 set by Michael Roth last year.
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Not far behind Morales Williams was Hossam Hatib for a national record of his own. Hatib sped to the eighth-best time on Georgia’s all-time top-10 list with a 46.44 for second, which ranks third on the current national list. His time surpassed the previous Moroccan national record of 46.81 run by Benyounes Lahlou at the 1993 World Championships.
Aaliyah Butler managed to run the NCAA’s second-best time this year in the women’s 400m to win for the first time in her featured event. Butler improved her No. 3 mark in school history with a 51.93 for silver medal honors. A newcomer, Kimberly Harris, completed her two laps in 53.91 for sixth place and to move into the No. 10 spot in the UGA record books.
Murrell-Ross built to a sixth attempt of 16.42 meters/53 feet, 10 ½ inches in the shot put to win her second consecutive meet and top her own Grenada national record. This effort improved her No. 4 mark in the school record books. Murrell-Ross also sandwiched a mark of 18.14m/59-6 for fourth in the weight throw.
Staying in the throws, graduate transfer Alex Kolesnikoff sent his second attempt in the shot put 20.45m/67-1.75 to take control of the national lead by nearly three feet and cruise to a four-foot victory. His winning toss pushed him to No. 2 on the school’s all-time top-10 list, coming within 10.5 inches of Denzel Comenentia’s 2019 record mark of 67-11.75.
Elena Kulichenko reached at least 6 feet in the high jump for the second win of the year for the Lady Bulldog junior. Kulichenko cleanly went over the bar on her last try at 1.86m/6-1.25, which ranks fourth nationally.
In her debut with the Lady Bulldogs after transferring over from Arkansas, Daszay Freeman won the 60m hurdles with the eighth-best time in school history. Teammate Bella Witt was the runner-up with a season-best 8.26. Witt won the prelims with an 8.30 with Freeman finishing one spot behind with an 8.43.
A week after winning his opener, Riyon Rankin safely passed over the high jump bar at 2.15m/7-0.50 for runner-up honors on his third try in Boston.
Georgia swept the 800m with first-year middle distance runner Chance Jones running a 1:53.55 on the men’s side and Kieley Gayle completing the women’s race in 2:13.55.
Jehlani Gordon made it two in a row in the 60m final with a 6.63. He also grabbed top honors in the prelims after cross the line in 6.70. Yet another victory came from the Lady Bulldogs in the 200m (23.63) as Autumn Wilson.
Kaila Jackson approached her week one performance in the women’s 60m thanks to a 7.20 for the win. Jackson and Autumn Wilson, who did run in the final, recorded matching 7.32s in the first round.
Also of note, freshman Zavien Wolfe popped an effort of 15.27m/50-1.25 in the triple jump for second place.
Georgia also had a number of distance runners competing at Vanderbilt. Charlotte Augenstein started her day by winning the mile with a personal record 4:46.06, which stands eighth in the school record books. She returned in the 800m and bested the field with a career-best time of 2:10.71 .
Cole Heron took the track in the 3000m and ended up bumping his twin, KC Heron, out of the all-time top-10 list with a bronze medal finish. Cole Heron looped around for an 8:08.71 for bronze medal honors and to take over the No. 9 spot in the school record books. On the women’s side, Sophia Baker also finished third with a 9:34.10.
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