The Norfolk State men's track team turned in a number of fine performances over the weekend at one of its biggest meets of the outdoor season, the Sea Ray Relays hosted by the University of Tennessee.
A number of Spartans bettered season-best marks for conference athletes. Leading the way was sophomore sprinter Sean Holston and the Spartans' deep crop of distance runners. Holston, running his first 200-meter dash of the outdoor season, placed third in a personal-best time of 20.87 seconds. He finished behind only Tennessee All-American Evander Wells (20.45) and unattached competitor Rubin Williams (20.82).
Holston's 20.87 betters the top MEAC 200 time this season set by teammate Thomas Speller, who clocked a 21.17 last weekend at William & Mary. Speller finished 11th this week in Tennessee, in 21.22 seconds.
Junior Josef Tessema also ran well, placing eighth in the 1,500 meters in 3:51.94, a personal-best. He shaved more than three seconds off the MEAC's top time this year set previously by teammate Amos Kipkosgei.
Kipkosgei was not to be outdone, though, as he came in fifth place in the men's 5,000 meters in a personal-best time of 14:29.83 (PR), some 17 seconds better than the MEAC outdoor-best time of teammate Philemon Kimutai. Vincent Rono came in 10th in the 5,000 in a season-best time of 14:43.29.
Another strong effort on Friday was turned in by junior Aramis Massenburg. Massenburg ran a season-best time of 14.41 seconds to come in sixth in the 110-meter hurdles. Continuing the theme, he bested the top MEAC time of the season coming into this weekend by .02.
On Saturday, the men's 4x400 relay team of Holston, Speller, Tyrell Moon and Kenneth Smith capped the meet with a second-place effort. The group ran a time of 3:08.99, just behind first-place Seton Hall (3:08.29).
Among the field athletes, freshman John James set a new PR with a clearance of 6 feet, 8.75 inches in the high jump. James placed eighth.
The Spartans return to the track next Saturday at the Morgan State Legacy Meet in Baltimore, Md.