GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Junior Favour Ashe earned an event win and posted the nation's top time in the 100m dash Saturday to highlight Auburn track & field's showing at the Pepsi Florida Relays hosted at James G. Presley Stadium at Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida.
Ashe's 9.99 is the only sub-10 second performance so far this outdoor season. He along with three other teammates, Ja'Kobe Tharp, Matthew Rueff and Keyshawn Strachan took home gold in their respective events.
Freshman Tharp finished second in the qualifying round of the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.69. He later beat his qualifying time to take home gold in the event final (13.46). Tharp's time is No. 4 in the SEC. He now holds the Auburn freshman record in the event previously held by James Walker (13.76) in 1976.
Sophomores Strachan and Rueff both placed first on the throws side for the men. With a throw of 74.01 in the javelin, Strachan's mark places him at No. 9 in the country. Rueff's winning toss in shot put was 17.92m.
Junior Danae Nembhard claimed bronze in the 100m hurdles final with a PR time of 13.13 after finishing in sixth during prelims. During the prelims of the event, senior Ashanti Harvey finished twelfth with a PR of 13.57.
Junior Vimbayi Maisvorewa had a PR in the women's 200m with a time of 23.49.
Sophomore LeBron Bessick and junior Luke Roberts both had solid performances in the men's 400m. Bessick had a season's best time of 47.14. Roberts had a PR in the event (47.97).
Freshman Kayden Slay had a bronze medal performance in the high jump. The Tallassee, Alabama native cleared 2.06m on his first attempt.
Auburn distance had a strong showing as well. For the women, junior Samantha Rogers and senior Hannah Tarwater both had PRs in the 1500m. Rogers finished third with a time of 4:29.26 and Tarwater placed tenth (4:34.45).
On the men's side, senior Ryan Kinnane also had a PR in the 1500m. He finished the event in second with a time of 3:41.42, which places him third on Auburn's top performers list. Freshman Max Hardin finished quickly after Kinnane in third with a time of 3:41.83. He now holds the freshman record in the event after breaking 3:42.54 set by Brian Jaeger in 1985. Hardin is fifth on Auburn's top performers list.
In women's pole vault, freshman Brooke Walden, sophomore Alyssa Quinones-Mixon, and senior Lexie Leinneweber posted season bests in the event. Leinneweber and Walden finished sixth and 14th, respectively, with marks of 3.95m and 3.80m. Quinones-Mixon earned silver and is second on Auburn's outdoor top performer's list (4.20m). She ranks No. 4 in the SEC.
For the women throwers, sophomore Marley Raikiwasa threw 51.69m in the discus, which was good for fourth place. Sophomore Megan Hague took home bronze in the women's shot put. Hague posted her winning toss on her first out of six (15.14m).
Up Next
The Tigers will split duties to compete in Tuscaloosa, Alabama at the Crimson Classic and in Miami, Florida at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational April 5-6. More information will be provided closer to the start time.
Pepsi Florida Relays
James G. Presley Stadium at Percy Beard Track
Friday-Saturday, March 29-30
Men's Results
100m
1. Favour Ashe 9.99
8. Dario Matau 10.33
110m Hurdles – Prelims
2. Ja'Kobe Tharp 13.69
110m Hurdles - Finals
1. Ja'Kobe Tharp 13.46
200m
10. Dario Matau 20.75
400m
12. LeBron Bessick 47.14
18. Luke Roberts 47.97
800m
15. Louis O'Loughlin 1:48.83
36. Davis Plowden 1:51.60
41. Cooper Atkins 1:52.09
1500m
2. Ryan Kinnane 3:41.42
3. Max Hardin 3:41.83
7. Cooper Atkins 3:44.83
10. Nickson Chebii 3:48.01
Discus Throw
10. Matthew Rueff 48:36m
Hammer Throw
12. John Leonard 55.01m
High Jump
3. Kayden Slay 2.06m
Javelin Throw
1. Keyshawn Strachan 74.01m
Pole Vault
5. James Courson 5.05m
Shot Put
1. Matthew Rueff 17.92m
10. Grant Griffin 15.04m
Women's Results
100m Hurdles – Prelims
6. Danae Nembhard 13.26
12. Ashanti Harvey 13.57
100m Hurdles – Finals
3. Danae Nembhard 13.13
200m
15. Vimbayi Maisvorewa 23.49
400m
4. Abasiono Akpan 57.36
12. Lalah Hasbrouck 58.71
19. Zuriel Reed 1:00.82
1500m
3. Samantha Rogers 4:29.26
10. Hannah Tarwater 4:34.45
1500m – Invite
10. Gené Coetzee 4:27.61
Discus Throw
4. Marley Raikiwasa 51.69m
18. Megan Hague 45.52m
Javelin Throw
8. Shaniya Holley 48.25m
Long Jump – Invite
7. Janaya Jones 5.87m
Pole Vault
2. Alyssa Quinones-Mixon 4.20m
6. Lexie Leinneweber 3.95m
8. Rhiannon Held 3.80m
14. Brooke Walden 3.80m
Shot Put – Invite
7. Marley Raikiwasa 15.95m
Shot Put
3. Megan Hague 15.14m
Triple Jump
11. Amy Warren 12.33m
4x100m Relay College – Preliminaries
DNF. D. Nembhard, O. Opeyemi, A. Harvey, S. Richardson
4x400m Relay - Tom Jones
6. A. Akpan, Z. Reed, O. Opeyemi, V. Maisvorewa 3:33.28