NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --One of the oldest relay records in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) was put to rest Saturday by a stunning effort by one of the youngest quartets in Virginia Wesleyan College track and field history.
Senior Shakiella Daniel (Suffolk/Lakeland), rookie Marissa Coombs (Newton, N.J./Kittatinny Regional), sophomore Emily Latimer (Moyock, N.C./Currituck), and rookie Kyla Edwards-Henderson (Chester/Matoaca) smashed the women's 4x800 meter relay record in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) by posting the fastest time ever in the 39-year history of the league. The VWC foursome combined for a VWC record time of 9:55.33 to place second in the event at the Captains Invitational hosted by Christopher Newport University. Their run broke the previous ODAC record set by Washington & Lee in 1999.
The 4x800 record was one of five program records set by VWC athletes at the CNU competition, including three in relays. Both the men's and women's 4x200 units set new marks, highlighted by a first place finish in the event by the men.
Sophomore Trae Tyler (Chesapeake/Indian River), junior Chrishaud Hawkins (Capitol Heights, Md./Fairmont Heights), sophomore Trey White (Spotsylvania/Courtland) and senior Dan Elmore (Warrenton/Fauquier) took the win with a VWC record time of 1:33.84, clipping the former record of 1:33.87 set in 2013. Juniors Shakira Mills (Hampton/Bethel) and Tiana Hughes (Stafford/Brooke Point), sophomore Tiffany Lennon (Carrollton/Smithfield), and Daniel raced to a time of 1:48.13 in the 4x200, breaking the 2014 record of 1:50.69. They placed fifth overall, trailing four Division I or II quartets.
Virginia Wesleyan also posted a new mark in the men's 200 hurdles where Hawkins placed sixth in a field of 14 with a time of 27.69. Coombs emerged with an additional record for the Marlin women, placing fourth among 22 runners in the 800 meter run. She was the first Division III runner to finish, posting a time of 2:23.89, breaking the previous VWC record of 2:24.49 set in 2012.
Rookie Rolonda Taylor (Norfolk/Norview) helped the women with a pair of top 10 finishes in the jumps. She placed fourth in the high jump, clearing the bar at 5-feet, 2.25 inches, and finished sixth in the long jump at 15-7.5. White and Elmore provided the men with a strong showing in the 400, placing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the field of 19. White posted a time of 51.89, while Elmore was steps behind at 52.26.
Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Sunday, Feb. 8, returning to CNU for the Christopher Newport Invitational.
Complete results click here
VWC's top 10 finishes in the meet:
WOMEN
4x200 -- 5th of 8, 1:48.13 -- Mills, Hughes, Daniel, Lennon (RECORD) -- old record 1:50.69, set in 2014 by Courtney Mebane, Daniel, Lennon, Shay Mills
4x400 -- 4th of 7, 4:15.94 -- Daniel, Hughes, Coombs, Lennon
4x800 -- 2nd of 4, 9:55.33 -- Daniel, Coombs, Latimer, Edwards-Henderson (RECORD) -- old record 10:25.34, set in 2010 by Kelly Fauth, Kaite Bennett, Jen Colwell, Shelby Bryceland
Distance medley -- 1st of 4, 13:13.22 -- Latimer, Tiana Hughes, Jasmine Wilson (Triangle/Calvary Christian), Coombs
Long jump-- Taylor, 6 of 16 -- 15-7.5
200 --- Lennon, 6th of 42, 26.78
400 -- Daniel, 9th of 32, 1:01.35
800 -- Coombs 2:23.89 1st in heat (4th overall) (RECORD) -- old record 2:24.49 set in 2012 by Emma Helsel 2012
Mile -- Edwards-Henderson, 9th of 20, 5:47.13
3K -- Liz Wade (Chesapeake/Great Bridge), 7th of 26, 10:55.44
4x400 -- 4th
High jump -- Taylor, 4th, 5-2.25
MEN
200H -- Chrishaus Hawkins, 6th of 14, 27.69 (RECORD)
4x200 -- 1st of 6, 1:33.84 -- Trae Tyler, Chrishaud Hawkins, Trey White, Dan Elmore (RECORD -- old 1:33.87 set in 2013 by Randy Lott, Chrishaud Hawkins, Stephen Cole, John Chapman
4x400 -- 7th of 8, 3:52.43 -- Jermell Chester (Newport News/Heritage), Dustin Ogburn (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Academy), Andrew Werner (Chesapeake/Western Branch), Damon Brown (Waldorf, Md./McDonough)
Distance medley -- 4 of 6, 11:10.19 -- Hunter Melius (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee), Elmore, Marquis Sivels (Moyock, N.C./Norfolk Christian), Trevor Maloney (Houston, Del./Milford)
400 -- White, 4th of 19, 51.89; Elmore 5th, 52.26
800 -- White, 10th of 34, 2:03.70
60H -- Hawkins 9.51 in prelims, 9.55 in finals, 6th overall
PV -- Wade Jernigan (Chesapeake/Oscar F. Smith), 6th of 12, 9-10
High jump -- Ed Chase (Falls Church/J.E.B. Stuart) 6th of 8, , 6-0
Long jump -- Ethan Fowlkes (Quinton/New Kent), 3rd of 18, 21-10.25
Triple jump -- Fowlkes, 10th of 14, 40-7.75
