Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) posted some solid numbers this past weekend at the Yale Gigengack Invitational, not the least of which was an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 800-meter run by Celia Whyte and a school record 47.92 in the men’s 400-meter dash by newcomer Allodin Fothergill.

Fothergill broke the school record in the 400-meter and with his time of 47.92, setting a new meet record while taking home the gold. He posted another meet record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.84, another first place, and for good measure helped set a new meet record in the 4x400-meter relay.

Fothergill, who ran the anchor position, teamed up with Dexter Miller, Paul Jones-Burden and Clayton James to post a meet record of 3:14.13, the best time ran by the school’s 4x400 team this season. Fothergill and the team won the race with ease.

Also dominating was Celia Whyte on the women’s side who took second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:08.93. While she may not have won the race her time does qualify her provisionally for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, a remarkable feat.

Three-time MEAC Track Athlete of the Week, Tanisha Wisdom was also dominating. She won the 400-meter dash, with a time of 54.66 and, of course, set a new meet record. Wisdom also ran in the 200-meter dash, finishing second and posting a time of 24.45. She did get her hands on another gold medal as well, running the third leg of the 4x400-meter relay.

The team of Sherie Brown, Whyte, Wisdom and Danai Lendor posted a time of 3:45.06 in the relay and took first place. While Wisdom has been running the anchor, Lendor stepped up and helped set a new meet record, pushing through in the final stretch.

Lendor ran a 57.70, a personal record in the 400-meter dash that was good enough for sixth place.

Brown had a sold day as well with a seventh place in the 60-meter dash (7.91) and was eleventh in the 200-meter dash (25.61).

Continuing the record setting was Merrecia James who took ninth in the 3000-meter run. In a 29 woman field James posted a time of 10:06.38, setting a personal record. Tamica Thomas, who was 17th in the event, also set a personal record with her time of 10:42.37.

Thomas also set another personal record in the mile, finishing 17th and posting mark of 5:20.49.

Saisha Woodward took third in a crowded shot put field to set a personal record with a throw of 13.83 meters (45’4.5”). As they have done all season UMES would dominate the women’s shot put with Joycelyn Wheeler (8th palce), Tiona Long (12), Soledad Maurice (13) and Demetria Staten (19) all placing in the event of 23 entrants.

Cori Otey would pull a top ten finish in the triple jump with a distance of 10.35 meters (33’11.5”) good enough for ninth place.

The women’s distance medley relay team was also solid with a fourth place overall post.

Back on the men’s side Jones-Burden wasn’t to be left out of the record setting. He posted a personal best in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.69, a freshmen record for the school. He would finish third in the race.

In that same event Miller would take sixth place (49.97), Corey Alexander was ninth (50.52) and Thomas Keane-Dawes and William McCullough were 12th and 14th respectively. All in all, six Hawks would place in the 400-meter dash in a field of 35 runners.

Jones-Burden, the freshmen sensation was also a top ten runner in the 200-meter dash with a seventh place finish (22.62).

Clayton James would post a top 15 finish in the 800-meter run (1:56.30), coming home 14th while on the field side UMES would get a third and sixth place finish from James Moore (2.04 meters, 6’08.25”) and Jamahl Strachan (1.89 meters, 6’ 02.25”) in the high jump.

There was no team scoring at the meet.

The Hawks hope for a similar type of meet this weekend when many of the top performers will compete in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York, N.Y.

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