University of Georgia Athletics
Track & Field Posts Fast Start To Texas Relays
March 30, 2017 | Track & Field
ATHENS, Ga. --- The Georgia track and field teams posted a series of personal bests to highlight the first day of the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, presented by Spectrum, in Austin, Texas, on Thursday.
While a majority of the jumpers and multi-event crew stayed in Athens to train through the weekend, the Bulldog throwers and distance runners took advantage of the teams' second outdoor meet of the year with a number of impressive performances.
A pair of Bulldogs moved into the No. 2 and No. 3 spots on the national hammer throw list to take second and third in the competition. Sophomore Denzel Comenentia built on his 227 foot, 9 inch throw at the Florida Relays last year to go 233-8 on Thursday. He opened with this personal-best effort and also registered marks of 231-9, 225-10 and 227-3 in his series. Comenentia now stands second nationally behind the meet's winner, Southeastern Louisiana's Alexander Young (235-5), and moved to No. 4 on Georgia's all-time top-10 list with the best throw for UGA since 2002.
Comenentia's training partner, senior Alex Poursanidis, worked up to a third throw of 233-7 and also launched efforts of 229-4, 227-5 and 229-11 to give the Bulldogs' two stellar series. Poursanidis finished third at the meet, moved into third on the national list and took over the fifth spot in the school record books.
True freshman Beatrice Llano quickly reminded the field at the University of Texas as well as the nation what the 2016 World Junior champion is capable of in the women's hammer. A native of Bergen, Norway, Llano responded to an opening foul with a second throw of 215-0 in her first outdoor action. In a series that also boasted throws of 216-7 and 216-9, she peaked with a fifth attempt of 218-4 to finish second by just two and a half feet.
Llano moves into the No. 3 spot in the school record books with the best throw for the Lady Bulldogs since 2010. She sits third on the current NCAA performance lists entering into this weekend after getting edged by Northern Arizona junior Brooke Anderson (220-10) in Austin.
Senior Asianna Covington started her season with a win at the Yellow Jacket Invitational two weeks ago and then posted a personal-best effort in the hammer on Thursday. The Vancouver native posted a consistent series varying from her fourth attempt of 187-7 to her new personal record of 198-3 on her second try. This mark improves her No. 8 spot in the school record books (it was No. 7 but was bumped down with Llano's addition).
Sophomore Jeramey Hampton added to the Bulldogs' pile of personal bests in the 800 meters. He shaved more than a second and a half of his career best from 2016 to clock a 1:48.18 and be the second collegiate finisher (third overall). This time moved him to third on the current national list and to sixth on the school's all-time top-10 list.
Senior Sid Vaughn was in the mix by the 1000m mark of the 5000m and picked up a victory with a personal-best time of his own. Racing in the day's final event, Vaughn clocked a 14:15.42 to finish just in front of LSU's Dajour Braxton (14:15.70).
In the women's 800m, junior Devon Artis finished sixth with a season-best time of 2:08.99 as she starts her second outdoor season in the event.
Junior Bryan Kamau earned an outright victory in the 1500m after clocking a 3:49.72. Kamau edged UTEP's Cosmas Boit (3:49.90) for the win in the meet's first day.
Also of note, freshmen Sam Drop and Yanely Gomez finished in the top 10 in the 5000m. Drop completed her laps in 16:49.64 to take fifth while Gomez finished seventh with a time of 16:57.23.
To check on Georgia's progress at the Texas Relays any of the three days, please visit the live results link at: gado.gs/78q.
Georgia's 100m runners will start the second day of action for UGA on Friday. Junior Katie Stone is slated to run in the women's race while sophomores Kendal Williams and Jonathan Raines will line up during the men's portion at 10:35 a.m. ET.
Updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams can always be found on Twitter/Instagram (UGATrack) and Snapchat (ugatrack).
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