TOPEKA, Kan. - The Lincoln men's and women's track and field teams opened the indoor season Saturday with four first-place finishes in the MIAA Rust Buster at Washburn.
This was the first competition for the Blue Tigers since the MIAA Championships on March 1 during last year's indoor season. The indoor national championships and the entire outdoor track and field season were canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
Kizan David was a double-winner for the Lincoln men. He placed first in the long jump with a leap of 24 feet, 1 inch, and also recorded a win in the triple jump with a distance of 48-7.25. Both marks are provisionals for the NCAA Division II national championships.
Kelly-Ann Beckford was also a double-winner for the Lincoln women. She posted a winning time of 2:21.41 in the 800-meter run and also took the title in the mile run, crossing the finish line in 5:05.59.
The Blue Tigers claimed the top six spots in the women's 800. Chrissani May was second in 2:22.09, followed by Kimone Campbell (2:23.81), Maria Diamond (2:24.51), Melissa Tyme (2:25.75) and Rebecca Bernadin (2:28.33).
Shemar Fletcher took second place in the men's 60-meter dash finals (7.00 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (22.86 seconds). David was fourth in the 60 with a time of 7.06 seconds and Yardley Pierre-Louis was fourth in the 200 with a time of 23.05 seconds.
In the men's 400-meter dash, Lijae Holness was second for the Blue Tigers in 51.16 seconds and Pierre-Louis placed fourth in 51.54 seconds. Colby Jennings Jr. was runner-up in the men's 600-yard run with a time of 1:14.58, while teammate Rashane Bartlett took fourth in 1:15.87.
Danneika Lyn had a pair of top-three individual finishes for the Lincoln women. In the 60 finals, she placed second in 7.96 seconds, then took third in the 200 with a time of 26.73 seconds.
Vivian Akunna took third in the women's 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.21 seconds. Aliyah George finished fourth in the women's 600 with a time of 1:31.22.
Lincoln finished second in both the men's and women's 4x400-meter relays.
Diamond, May, Kimone Campbell and Beckford posted a time of 3:57.61 for the women.
The Lincoln men's "B" relay team of Bartlett, Stavin Brown, Kewani Campbell and Pierre-Louis crossed the finish line in 3:25.43.
Central Missouri junior Baylie Bellin (Blair Oaks High School) finished seventh in the women's weight throw with a distance of 40-8.25.
Lincoln is scheduled to compete Friday in the Jayhawk Classic at Lawrence, Kan.