Firebirds Put Forth Quality Performances at Maryland’s Kehoe Twilight Meet
COLLEGE PARK, MD - Looking for big end of season performances, the Firebirds took a small group to the University of Maryland to compete at the Kehoe Twilight Meet. Only five student-athletes made the trip and a select few competed individually.
Looking to end her season on a high note, sophomore Brittany Okon (Health Education - Bronx, NY/Pelham Prep Academy) competed in the Long Jump, 100M and 200M. She was only able to get in two Jumps in the LJ (due to that event overlapping with the 100M). She was 5th of 8 runners in the 100M running 12.77s. She was 7th overall among 13 competitors in the 200M, winning her heat in 26.49s.
Meanwhile, East Coast Conference Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year Simone Grant (Health Education - Bronx, NY/Pelham Prep Academy) also competed in the 100M, and continued her successful Outdoor season taking the victory with a time of 12.47s. She would return to be a part of an exciting 4x400M Relay team.
The quartet of Jerily Benjamin, Marlena Wright, Kimoy Mais and Simone Grant competed in a small field of three teams, but a field of quality for what turned out to be an exciting race and thrilling finish. Benjamin led off for the Firebirds and opened up a big lead before handing off to Wright. Although Wright would relinquish that lead, she would keep it very close between the Maryland and Lincoln teams heading into the 3rd leg. The gap was opened a bit more on the 3rd leg with Kimoy Mais running for the Firebirds, and it was left up to anchor leg runner Simone Grant to get UDC back into the race.
Not only was Grant able to cut that sizeable lead, but her outstanding anchor leg of 54.9s brought the Firebirds back to almost grasp 2nd on the line. With her performance, the Firebirds were able to run a season-best time of 3:49.66; surpassing this season's previous best by over eight seconds. That time is one of the fastest times in the East Region and sets them up well to make a run at an NCAA Provisional qualifying mark in their next engagement at the Coppin State Invitational next week.
"I've seen great relay legs from UDC student-athletes under my watch, but Simone's anchor leg was one of the most inspiring I've witnessed. Despite the margin and deficit, she was determined to close with a flourish, and it will give us a huge lift as we look to qualify for the NCAA meet - not just in the 4x400 but for her in an individual event," McKenzie said of Simone Grant's impressive anchor leg. "The team is rounding into peak shape at the right time, and we're looking forward to going after even faster times in our next meet."