Metropolitan Championship Results

Terrier Classic Results

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – With two competitions scheduled in the same weekend, various athletes from the LIU Brooklyn men's track and field teams competed in the Metropolitan Championship in New York City and the Terrier Classic in Boston, Mass.  Sophomore Brendon Rodney's performance was the highlight of the weekend, as he matched the 200-meter dash record set in 2003 with his time of 21.26 at the Terrier Classic.

Metropolitan Championships

The local Metropolitan Championship held at the Armory saw all of the local colleges and universities competing. Blackbird freshman Shanice Grant placed second in the women's indoor pentathlon, while a handful of new personal bests were set.

In the women's pentathlon, Grant placed first in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.60, fifth in the 800-meter run in 2:49.4, first in the high jump (1.66m), first in the long jump (5.28m), and fifth in the shot put with a throw of 8.77 meters.  With a total score of 3,306 after all her events, she placed second overall. 

In the 200-meter dash, teammate Anise Cuffee set a new personal best of 25.45, while senior Tiffany Parker improved her 500-meter dash time to 1:19.35.

Terrier Classic

Friday, January 25th

While one group of Blackbirds competed in New York, another group was in Boston competing in the two-day Terrier Classic, hosted by Boston University.               

Freshman Josephine Watson led the Blackbirds off strong in the 400-meter dash, the first event of the Invitational. Crossing the line in 56.34, Watson placed tenth with sophomore teammate Shakia Williams racing to a time of 58.72, which was good for 32^nd place.

Freshman Ja'Mesha Richard continued her first year success with a 17^th place time of 9.14 in the 60-meter hurdles preliminaries. Senior Amber Mitchell placed sixth in the 60-meter dash prelims in 7.73.

The fourth track event of the day was the 500-meter dash, where redshirt sophomore Marilena Riviera placed 34^th with a time of 1:20.66. In the 200-meter dash, Richard and Mitchell placed 11^th and 22^nd, with times of 24.94 and 25.19, respectively.

The final women's track event of the day was the women's 4x400 meter relay.  LIU's team of Watson, sophomore Shakia Williams, Mitchell, and sophomore Katrina Anderson beat 34 teams and placed seventh in a time of 3:49.78.

In women's field action, senior Dottie Vea posted a throw of 12.42m in the shot put to place 14^th and placed eighth in the weight throw with her launch of 15.36m.

The one and only men's event of the day was the men's distance medley where the LIU team of senior Chris Welch, sophomore Alistar McLean, senior Kenneth Wallace-Whitfield, and sophomore Elijah Taylor placed eighth with an overall time of 10:27.90.

Saturday, January 26th

Saturday's action primarily featured the men's team.

In the men's 60-meter hurdle preliminaries, senior Brian Richards raced to a time of 8.22 for fifth place.

 In the 60-meter dash preliminaries, the third event of the day, several Blackbirds placed. Sophomore Brendon Rodney ran a 6.93 for 5^th, both Nickolei Mahlung and sophomore Mikhail Williamson crossed the finish line in 6.96 and placed 7^th and 8^th, respectively.  Richards again ran a 6.98 and placed 10th, while teammate Eric Williams ran a 7.08 for the 20^th spot.

In the 400-meter dash, freshman Olufemi Atibioke led the charge and placed 8^th for his time of 48.67, with teammates Jamal Roberts in 48.91 and Mica-Jonathan Petit-Homme in 49.16, 13^th and 18^th, respectively. 

The 500-meter dash saw five Blackbirds battle strong. Newest addition junior Kervin Morgan was the first of LIU's squad to cross the line in 1:04.53 for tenth, followed closely by teammate Andi Augustin in 1:04.64 for 13^th. Senior Kenneth Wallace-Whitfield got 21^st for his time of 1:05.26, Chris Welch raced to a time of 1:05.39 for 24th, and Alistar McLean crossed the finish line in 1:11.31 for 73^rd. Olympian and LIU Brooklyn alum Julius Mutekanga continues to hold Terrier Record with his time of 1:01.26 from 2008.

In the 200-meter dash, Rodney led the Blackbird attack by placing fifth for his time of 21.26. Rodney's time also matches the school's record set in 2003 by Richard James. Richards followed closely with a 21.63 for ninth, Williamson came in 18^th in 21.80, Atibioke ran a 22.46 for 54^th, and Williams came in 106^th for his time of 23.07.

In the 800-meter run, sophomore Elijah Taylor placed 87^th for his 2:00.44, a new personal best for the Brooklyn-native.

Of the 54 teams that competed in the men's 4x400 meter relay, the Blackbirds team of Roberts, Rodney, Morgan, and Petit-Homme finished in fourth with their time of 3:12.54. 

Track & field continues their season at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on Feb. 1 - Feb. 2 at the Armory.