Smith wins long jump

Day 1 Results
LANDOVER, Md., February 15, 2008 – North Carolina A&T’s Kimona Smith won the women’s long jump on Friday and several other Aggies put the N.C. A&T women’s indoor track team in position to capture the MEAC title at the 2008 MEAC Indoor Championships held at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex.

Smith, coming off of a MEAC women’s track athlete of the week honor, won the long jump with a leap of 19-feet. Smith’s win in the long jump gave the sophomore her first MEAC Indoor title to go along with her MEAC outdoor triple jump title. She also gave the Aggie women 10 points, and Jerrine Foster’s second-place finish in the shot put added eight points for the Lady Aggies as they finished with 24 points on the day.

“She didn’t get off the big jump she usually does,’’ said director of track programs Roy Thompson said about Smith’s performance. “But Kimona is consistent, she rarely has a bad jump and that’s key in how successful she is going to be. We are just waiting for her to break out and reach 20 feet.”

The Aggies are in fourth place after the first day thanks to a fifth place finish in the shot put by Katherine Forrester (4 points) and a seventh place finish in the long jump by Brittany Dixson (2 points). The Aggies hope the early start will go along nicely with Saturday’s finals that include 2007 NCAA outdoor national qualifier Alexandria Spruiel in the 400 and 200 meters.

Spruiel had the best qualifying time in the 400 meters with a time of 55.13. Loreal Smith had the best qualifying time in the 60 meters with a time of 7.58. Loreal Smith also had the fastest qualifying time in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.41.

“We have a chance if our Friday qualifiers have solid finishes tomorrow,’’ said Thompson. “The people who needed to step up on Friday, stepped up. So we just need to close the deal.”

The men have some heavy hitters going on Saturday as well. Sophomore Calesio Newman had the fastest qualifying time in the 60 meters with a 6.77 time. Robert Martin qualified in the 60 and 200 meters. David McFadgen qualified in the 400 meters. Field event standouts such as Lonnie Phifer and Ron Buchanan will also compete on Saturday. Buchanan finished fifth in the long jump on Friday (4 points) and the men’s distance medley team of Travanni Jett, Akinwole Jordan, Vincent Alford and Rashad Burnett earned the Aggies two points with a seventh place finish.