Kent State University
Drake Relays
Reese Captures 100m Title on Final Day of Drake Relays
4/28/2018 10:25:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
DES MOINES, Iowa — After running the fastest prelims time on Friday, Riak Reese was able to win the 100-meter dash finals with a time of 10.63 Saturday on the final day of competition at the Drake Relays. Reese clocked a personal-best time of 10.14, which approached the meet record of 10.11 set by former world record holder Calvin Smith back in 1983, during Friday's prelims but had to battle a headwind of 2.3 meters per second to win claim victory on Saturday.
"Anytime I can come out here and get a victory, it feels good," Reese said. "It wasn't the time I wanted and there are still some things I need to clean up in my race, but it's a lot of fun to win."
The Golden Flashes had three runner-up finishes on the day. Gabrielle Figueroa topped 200' for the third time this season with a mark of 200'-5". TJ Lawson leaped 24'-1.75" in the long jump and teamed with Dairius Ragland, Jacob Mally and Ryan Looser for a time of 59.71 in the men's 4x110 shuttle hurdles relay.
The women's 4x100 shuttle hurdles relay team of Arbria Williams, Brielle Collier, Melina Owens and Benja Duff took third-place with a time of 56.46.
Kent State finished fourth in three different relay races. Tyler Williams, Nicole Yeargin, Lauren Burnett and Irene Skinner moved into No. 2 in the KSU record book with a time of 3:40.00 in the 4x400 relay. Gana Lopez, Yeargin, Cayla Carey and Bennisha Nunn clocked a 45.81 in the 4x100 relay. On the men's side, Brandon Harris, JJ Johnson, Korie Davis II and Jonathan Grant ran a 40.78 in the 4x100 relay.
The Flashes took sixth in the sprint medley relay, as Harris, Reese, Davis II and Kevin Jones clocked a 3:25.86. Davis II, Lawson, Johnson and Andrew O'Leary ran a 3:14.23 in the 4x400 relay to finish seventh.
Individually, Douglas Moorer, Jr. had a top throw of 164'-3" in the discus to finish sixth. Johnson (22'-9.5") and Grant (22'-8") took eighth and ninth, respectively, in the long jump. Grzegorz Kunc ran a personal-best time of 1:51.46 and finished ninth in the 800-meter run.
Former Golden Flash Reggie Jagers III broke the Drake Relays and Drake Stadium record in the invitational discus with a toss of 211'-11". Jagers III, a three-time All-American and a four-time Mid-American Conference champion, topped 1976 Olympic gold medalist Mac Wilkins' meet and stadium record of 211'-0" set at the 1978 Drake Relays.
Kent State will conclude the regular season next weekend (May 4-5) at Akron's Campbell-Wright Open.
