Throwers Lead the Way for Koalas

The Columbia College Indoor Track & Field team traveled to Roanoke College over the weekend and recorded some very impressive marks.

 The throwers, under the tutelage of Coach Anderson Novalin, had the strongest weekend as a collective. Leading the throwers was sophomore Aleah Bromell who set new school records in both the shot put and the weight throw. Aleah threw 12.21 meters in the shot put and 14.60 meters in the weight throw. With 3 weeks left in the indoor season, Aleah is very close to hitting the NAIA National "B" standard in both events. Aleah finished in 4th place in the weight throw, and 2nd place in the shot put.

 Freshman Zaida Carson set a new personal best in the shot put with a throw of 11.83 meters to finish 5th. She also set a new personal best in the weight throw with a mark of 11.33 meters. Sophomore Alondrea Reid shattered her previous personal best and threw 13.34 meters in the weight throw. Junior Morgan Cameron-Decker also hit a new weight throw personal best with a toss of 11.35 meters.

 The Koala jumpers also did very well in their field events. Sophomore Heather Woolard finished in 5th place in the triple jump (10.43 meters) and 7th place in the long jump (4.99 meters). Heather also ran the 60 meter dash in 8.40 seconds. Sophomore Kyanna Milliedge made her collegiate debut and finished 11th in the long jump (4.85 meters) and 7th in the triple jump (10.35 meters).

 Freshman Makayla Hollifield and sophomore Hannah Mishkoff completed 25 laps in the 5000 meter run and finished in 4th and 6th place with times of 20:43 and 22:21 respectively. Makayla also ran the 800 meters in a time of 2:37.63 to finish in 12th place. Just ahead of her was freshman Esther Ekundayo, who ran a season's best time of 2:36.46, good for 10th place.

 Freshman Valeria Bogdanova continued her quest to hit the NAIA National "B" standard in the 600 meters. Valeria ran a 1:44.81 to finish in 7th place. She needs to shave 6 seconds off her time to go to nationals.

 Freshman Victoria Heiser-Whatley and sophomore Shelby Winn did an unofficial 1 mile racewalk. Victoria and Shelby are currently ranked #3 and #10 in the NAIA in the 3000 meter racewalk and competed in this 1 mile race as a tune-up workout. Victoria walked 7:55.92, and Shelby walked 9:16.86.

 The Koalas next meet in on Sunday, February 2nd at JDL Fast Track for the Mondo Challenge Invitational.