MARION, Ind. – Kynnedy Turner’s Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) record of 24.06 seconds Wednesday in the 200-meter dash advanced her to the final of the 2023 NAIA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Championship.
Turner’s time ranked eighth out of nine qualifiers and broke Shalysa Wray’s XULA record of 24.11. Wray set the record on May 23, 2019, in the NAIA national prelims at Gulf Shores, Ala. Cumberland’s Praise Idamadudu (23.21) was the fastest qualifier. The 200 final will start at 4:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Indiana Wesleyan University’s Wildcat Track & Field Complex.
XULA’s 400 relay team of Emerald Carter, Ariel Ford, Darryan Horton and Turner placed 11th in qualifying in 46.68. The ninth and final qualifier was Madonna in 46.42. William Carey was No. 1 in 44.94.
Turner was the Gold Nuggets’ representative when the NAIA honored Champions of Character athletes during opening ceremonies. Each team at the meet with significant numbers of qualifiers can nominate one recipient who best exemplifies the Champions of Character traits of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.
The Gold Nuggets‘ Thursday events:
• 2 p.m. – Carter, Jade Harris and Kyla Coleman in 100 hurdles preliminaries
• 2:30 p.m. – Skylah Barton in 800 preliminaries
• 2:30 p.m. – Turner in 100 preliminaries
• 5:30 p.m. – Zoe Cordova in triple jump
• 8:15 p.m. – Fedjine Bell, Ford, Carter and Turner in 1,600 relay preliminaries