RALEIGH, N.C. – Four Commodores competed on Day 2 of the Raleigh Relays on Friday afternoon.
“It’s great to see these group of student-athletes have a solid opener for the outdoor season,” said Althea Thomas, director of cross country and track and field. “Our student-athletes train hard every day and embraced the opportunity to break up the monotony of training to get into race strategies. Nick kicked it off with a solid personal best in the 1500m and stayed consistent with his training. McKenzie established herself as one of the best to wear a Vanderbilt uniform with her performance in the 10k. Not only did it establish her place as No. 2 in our record books but it also put her in a solid position for NCAA qualifying, in her first outdoor competition.”
Niki Narayani, Ella Lambert, Caroline Eck, and Grace Jensen all contended in the 1,500 meters.
Narayani’s (4:34.23) heat concluded first with her setting a personal best in the event. Lambert finished her first ever outdoor 1,500 meter race with a time of 4:40.68. Eck raced the Commodores’ second quickest time of 4:27.99. Jensen concluded the event in the last heat of the night with a time of 4:21.51.
“Outdoor middle and long distance is a race of strategy and skill and all of our student-athletes displayed grit and growth in their races,” said Thomas. “I’m looking forward to their continued efforts down the season.”
Divine Oladipo at the 2022 Ole Miss Classic in both the shot put and discus on Saturday, with silver and bronze finishes respectively in the events. She reset the discus record with a mark of 52.25 meters and entered the top-10 in school history in the shot put at 15.51 meters [second overall mark in school history].
