The Alabama track & field teams split their squads between three meets and turned in a number of personal bests and UA season-best performances on the at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, S.C., the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa and the Music City Challenge in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday.
Iowa State Classic
In a race that produced the 16 fastest times in the NCAA so far this season, Alabama’s Vincent Kiprop (13:40.97), Gilbert Kigen (13:46.28) and Alfred Chelanga (13:49.34) posted three of the eight fastest times in school history to finish third, 10th, and 12th in the 5,000 meters at the Iowa State Classic. The times are personal bests for Kiprop and Kigen and rank No. 3 and No. 8 in UA history. Chelanga’s time is the eighth-fastest in school history and he now sixth-, seventh- and eighth-fastest times in the UA record book.
Tiger Paw Invitational
Junior Kord Ferguson was the No. 3 collegiate finisher in the shot put with a personal-best 63-0 ¾ (19.22m), the fourth-best mark in school history. He is now just the fourth man in UA indoor history to surpass the 63-foot mark. Junior Ruebin Walters was the No. 2 collegiate finisher in the 60-meter hurdles in a personal-best and UA season-best 7.61, the third-fastest time in school history. Walters’ prelim time of 7.66 ranks No. 6 all-time at Alabama. Sophomore Will Allen finished ninth in the 400 meters in a personal-best 46.78, the fastest time for UA this season.
In women’s events at Clemson on Friday, Alabama received a pair of UA season bests from junior Mauricia Prieto and senior Britainy Smith. Prieto was the No. 4 collegiate finisher in the 400 meters in a personal-best 54.09 in her first outing at that distance this season. Smith was the No. 2 collegiate finisher in the women’s pole vault with a personal-best clearance of 13-5 ¼ (4.10m). Junior Portious Warren continued her strong indoor debut at Alabama on Friday as she finished third in the shot put with a mark of 54-10 (16.71m). The effort ranks No. 4 all-time at Alabama. She also recorded two other marks which rank among the top-10 in UA history.
Music City Challenge
Alabama was scheduled to compete in the men’s and women’s 5,000 meters at Vanderbilt’s Music City Challenge late on Fridayevening.
