Courtesy of NC A&T Athletics
GAINSVILLE, Fla. – Going against some of the nation’s best at the 2023 Pepsi Florida Relays hosted by the University of Florida at Percy Beard Track brought out top performances for several North Carolina A&T (NC A&T ) outdoor track and field athletes on Saturday. The second day of the event saw Reheem Hayles step into rare air.
Hayles ran the nation’s top time in the 400 meters on Saturday when he won the event in 45.47. Hayles narrowly bested Judson Lincoln IV of Virginia Tech (45.66), the fourth-ranked 400m runner in the country, to claim victory.
Hayles’ time on Saturday is the 10th fastest in the world this year.
“Reheem had another great showing,” said A&T director of track and field Allen Johnson. “He continues to improve and is exciting to watch.”
Also taking advantage of the competition, senior Shemar Chambers secured a third-place finish in the 400m and rose to No. 5 in the country with a time of 45.73. Chambers ran the 15th-fastest time in the world this year. Both Hayles and Chambers recorded personal bests on Saturday, and their times should guarantee their bids to the NCAA East Division I Preliminary Round.
Besides their accomplishments, Hayles and Chambers also assisted the 4×400 relay team in climbing the charts. In Saturday’s last event, the duo joined graduates Ryan Saint-Germain and Akeem Lindo as the team recorded a 3:05.77 run. Together they placed fifth on the track and now sit at No. 9 in the East Region.
Reheem Hayles now ranks No. 1 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in the 200m, 400m, 4×100 and 4×400.
Another A&T win came in the men’s shot put. Hodgest won the CAA indoor championship in the shot put after winning the Big South Conference outdoor championship in the event last season.
Hodgest is now seeking his postseason NCAA appearance. He championed the shot put at the Florida Relays with a throw of 55-feet, 10 ¼-inches; however, his season best still stands at 56-feet, 1 ¼-inches. He must reach the 58-feet, 5-inch range to enter the conversation for the NCAA East prelims.
Racing in the men’s 100m, junior Brandon Nya placed fifth on the track in 10.32. Although the wind-aided time cannot be a personal record, Nya is now listed as No. 15 in the East. In addition, Nya holds the top time in the CAA.
On the women’s side, graduates Paula Salmon and Jada Griffin used Day 2 of the event to raise their status in the women’s 100-meter hurdles and the women’s 400m. Although Salmon placed seventh in the finals (13.49), she ran a 13.19 in the 100H prelim alongside Jayla Hollis from the University of Florida. Salmon and Hollis are ranked 11th nationally and 10th regionally.
In the 400m, Griffin pulled out a 52.99, landing her ninth on the track. The top seven finishers on Saturday hold the top seven positions in the country, and the push from the competition propelled Griffin to No. 15 nationally. She has the eighth-best time in the region and the fastest time in the conference.
Next weekend the North Carolina A&T will get to compete at home as they host the Aggie Invitational, April 7-8 at Marcus T. Johnson Track.
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