Kent State University
Akron Invitational
Ba Runs Sub-4:00 Mile Saturday at Meyo Invitational
2/4/2023 5:12:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Baidy Ba broke the men's indoor mile record that had stood for 56 years, headlining four entries on Kent State's all-time indoor performance list during competition at the Meyo Invitational and Akron Invitational on Saturday.
Meyo Invitational
Baidy Ba's sub-4:00 mile led the way as two Golden Flashes recorded top-10 times on the program's all-time indoor performance list in the event. Competing in the elite Meyo mile race during the afternoon, Ba took more than two seconds off his personal-best time from last weekend and finished in 3:59.47 to place fifth. Sam Bair is the only other sub-4:00 miler in program history, finishing in 3:58.70 during the 1967 outdoor season.
Ethan Yost also had a big day with two top-10 all-time performances. Yost started with a personal-best time of 4:06.87 to place eighth in the men's mile, putting him at No. 9 on Kent State's all-time indoor performance list. The junior returned to the track in the afternoon and finished fifth in the men's 800-meter run with a personal-best of 1:50.55 to move into the No. 5 spot on the Flashes' all-time list.
A pair of Flashes recorded PRs in the 800-meter run. Karsyn Spears placed fourth in the women's race with a time of 2:11.50, while Trey Double took sixth in the men's race in 1:53.35.
Akron Invitational
An indoor personal-best height of 17'-0.75" by Kristian Kneffler headlined the action in Akron. Kneffler moves to fifth on the Golden Flashes' all-time indoor performance list and finished second in the men's pole vault.
Ruby Greenwood and Taylor Korytkowski sprinted to a one-two showing in the women's 400-meter dash. Both set new indoor PRs with Greenwood finishing in 56.18 seconds and Korytkowski in 56.84 seconds.
Kent State had two more top-three finishes on the track. Logan Doyle placed second in the men's 400m with a time of 49.53 and Quintin Cooks was third in the men's 800-meter run, crossing the finish line in 1:54.67.
The Flashes added a pair of runner-up performances in throwing events. Nolan Landis took second in the men's shot put with a throw of 56' and Grace Luther recorded a mark of 60'-8.75" for second in the women's weight throw. Briana Wright added a PR of 56'-3.75" to finish third.
Angelina Lotarski took third in the women's pole vault with a clearance of 11'-9.75".
Mason Murphy (4,563) and Josh Dreves (4,178) placed third and fourth, respectively, in their first collegiate heptathlon.
Up Next for the Flashes
Kent State will be back in action at the SPIRE Collegiate Indoor Games in Geneva on Saturday, Feb. 11.
Players Mentioned
