Griffin Sets School Record to Lead Lobos at Don Kirby
DAY ONE RESULTS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— On a weekend in which some of the best athletes in the country would convene at the Albuquerque Convention Center, University of New Mexico sprinter Jay Griffin IV made a name for himself on Thursday afternoon.
Already holding the UNM program record in the 200-meter dash, which came in 2019 on the same track at the Mountain West Indoor Championships, Griffin ran 20.93, 21 seconds flat when converted for altitude, on the first day of the Don Kirby Elite Invitational. In a race featuring a total of 72 competitors, Griffin was the fastest runner on the course, beating out the runner-up in his heat and in the event by a margin of 0.04 seconds.
Thursday’s time beat his previous record by 0.08 seconds and as a result, Griffin now holds the six-fastest times in the 200-meter dash in program history. All but two of those times were recorded in 2019.
The Lobos posted four finishers in the top 25 in the event, with Alejandro Goldston finishing seventh overall at 21.44 (21.51 converted), Elijah Lilly 21st at 21.88 (21.95 converted) and Ben Parmoon in 24th at 21.96 (22.03 converted). Goldston’s time was just 0.06 seconds behind the 10th-fastest time in program history but was a personal best for the senior by 0.03 seconds.
Griffin was the highlight on the track for UNM, while the Lobos had four field athletes finish in the top 10 of their respective events.
Ada’ora Chigbo led off the first day with a third-place showing in the high jump, although second among college competitors, clearing a season-best height of 5-8.75 (1.75m) on her first attempt at the height. Jamari Drake finished tied for 10th with a height of 5-5.25 (1.66m), clearing the bar on her second attempt.
Competing in both the high jump and the pole vault, Shannon Fritz ended the night on a high note, setting a personal best with 12-8 (3.86m) to finish tied for seventh. Fritz’s previous personal best was 12-2.75 (3.72m). Fritz was one of 10 vaulters to finish at the height, but was among four that tied for seventh based on overall attempts. Fritz started the event well, clearing her first two heights of 11-8 (3.56m) and 12-2 (3.71m) on her first attempt and recorded her final clearance on the second attempt at 3.86m.
In the long jump, the Lobos had two positive results, one on the men’s side and one on the women’s side. Ryan Chase advanced to the finals and finished the event with a ninth-place result after jumping 23-4.75 (7.13m) on his third attempt. Diamond Black once again improved on her season-best mark in the long jump with a jump of 18-2.25 (5.54m), which also came on her third attempt. This is the first time this season that Black has surpassed the 18-0 mark.
The Lobos resume the Don Kirby Elite Invitational early Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. with the women’s shot put. The track events begin at 9:30 a.m. with the qualifying round of the women’s 60-meter hurdles.
Once again, the meet will be streamed on FloTrack HERE. while live results will also be available HERE.
In addition, Adva Cohen, Emily Martin, Gracelyn Larkin, Hannah Nuttall and William Fuller will be in Seattle running in the Husky Classic on Friday with Cohen, Larkin, Nuttall in the 3000-meter and Martin and Fuller in the 5000-meter. The 3000-meter is scheduled to run at 8:30 p.m. MT with the women’s 5000-meter at 9:10 p.m. MT and men’s 5000-meter at 9:30 p.m. MT.