With the NCAA outdoor season fully kicking off last weekend, a number of Lions athletes competing south of the border wasted no time in showing they are here to play this spring. Leading the charge was Syracuse junior Kevin Robertson, who made his season debut with a record setting performance in the 3000 metre steeplechase.
The Club’s current under-23 record holder in the steeplechase took a giant axe to his previous mark as he placed fourth at last weekend’s Raleigh Relays in North Carolina with an eye popping time of 8 minutes and 37.26 seconds. Robertson’s previous U23 mark of 8:46.98 had been set last spring at the Virginia Challenge.
With last week’s time, Robertson finds himself third in the early season NCAA Division 1 outdoor rankings.
Keira Christie-Galloway also finds herself near the top of the NCAA rankings after competing last weekend. The graduate student at Grand Canyon University placed second in the 100 metre hurdles at the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Arizona with a time of 13.33 seconds. In addition to being a new Grand Canyon school record, the performance currently ranks Christie-Galloway 12th in the sprint hurdles.
In addition to her splendid hurdle running, Christie-Galloway also posted a personal best performance in the 200 metres with a time of 24.67 seconds. Her previous best was set in 2017.
At the Battle on the Bayou in Baton Rouge, Tommy Nedow took second spot in the shot put with a best throw of 16.28 metres. Nedow also finished sixth in the discus after hurling the two kilogram platter out to a distance of 52.08 metres.
Rounding out the competitors last weekend, Sharelle Samuel opened up her outdoor season for the UCLA Bruins. Competing at home, the graduate student placed fourth in the 400 metres hurdles with a time of 1:02.67.