CLEMSON, S.C. and LYNCHBURG, Va. – SATURDAY – Tech track and field finished off another stellar weekend of performances on Saturday at the Tiger Paw Invitational and Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
In Lynchburg, Antonio Lopez Segura led the way in the men's mile as three Hokies broke the 4-minute barrier. Lopez Segura set a new school record, facility record, and meet record with his finish of 3:56.79, with Seb Anthony and Ben Fleming both following under four minutes. Fleming tied his previous personal best of 3:59.47, while Anthony went 3:59.26 and moves into fifth all-time at Virginia Tech.
Kennedy Harrison and Cole Beck both set incredible times in the stacked 200m at the Tiger Paw Invite which saw 73 entrants sprint around Clemson's banked indoor track. Beck punched in a 20.91, taking the top spot in the ACC this season and moving into second place all-time at Virginia Tech, before Harrison burned up the track with a time of 20.88, jumping ahead of Beck in both rankings. Both Hokie sprinters turned in lifetime best races with ACCs just two weeks out.
Continuing her jumping success this season, Victoria Gorlova broke her second school record of the weekend with a 13.63m (44' 8.5") effort in the triple jump. Gorlova took over the ACC lead with her leap and now holds the all-time Virginia Tech marks in both the long jump and triple jump.
Essence Henderson earned herself a season's best mark in the women's shot put, throwing 17.09m (56' 1") to finish as the third best collegian at the Tiger Paw Invite.
Rounding out the day were two 4x400m relays at two separate meets, with the women's relay taking the win at Liberty, as Barbora Malíková, Lindsey Butler, Star Price, and Hannah Ballowe smashed the meet record with their time of 3:42.48.
In the men's 4x400m, Kahleje "KJ" Tillmon, Tyreke Sapp, Kennedy Harrison, and Patrick Forrest posted a season's best time of 3:08.76 by winning their heat. Harrison topped the Hokies' splits, running 45.58 on the third leg of the relay.
Up next the Hokies return to Rector Field House for the Virginia Tech Challenge, where teams will put up last chance times and marks ahead of conference championships. Tech hosts the ACC conference meet in just two weeks, running Feb. 24-26.
Gallery: (2-12-2022) T&F: Tiger Paw Invite
CLEMSON, S.C. and LYNCHBURG, Va. – FRIDAY – Competing with some of the nation's top athletes, Virginia Tech track and field delivered strong performances on the first day of Clemson's Tiger Paw Invitational and Liberty's Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
After setting a new school record in the triple jump only a few weeks ago, Victoria Gorlova broke the Hokies' long jump record on the first jump of the competition today. Gorlova leaped 6.28m (20' 7.5") to set the new all-time mark, a personal best either indoors or outdoors for the junior from Russia.
Rachel Baxter continued her dominant form this season, earning yet another win in the women's pole vault. With a best clearance of 4.44m (14' 6.75"), Baxter picked up her fourth consecutive victory this season and continues her run atop the ACC vaulting ranks.
In a field of nearly 50 athletes, Cole Beck advanced through three rounds of competition in the men's 60m, posting his best time on the day in an electric final. Beck crossed the line in 6.66 seconds to finish fifth in a heat of the nation's top sprinters, as the entire heat was separated by only .06 seconds.
Weight throwers Rebecca Mammel and Sara Killinen stamped more strong performances Friday afternoon, finishing second and third in the weight throw at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Mammel delivered a best throw of 22.10m (72' 6.5"), while Killinen set her third PR of the season with a heave of 21.60m (70' 10.5").
At the Darius Dixon Memorial Invite in Lynchburg, Hannah Ballowe led the way for the Hokies in the 800m, finishing second with her PR time of 2:06.07, moving her into ninth all-time at Virginia Tech. Leigha Torino followed just behind Ballowe, taking third place with a time of 2:07.02.
Action resumes for the Hokies first in the Tiger Paw Invite Saturday morning at 10, as Tyson Jones competes in the men's shot put. In the Darius Dixon Memorial, competition resumes at 2:15 PM when several Hokies compete in the mile.
