Jump events highlight effort of Nicholls track teams at LSU Twilight meet

Efforts by the jumpers were among the highlights for the Nicholls track teams at the LSU Twilight meet Friday in Baton Rouge.

Sydney Brown finished fifth among nine competitors in the women’s triple jump.

“Sydney Brown jumped 11.4 meters, which ties her for No. 5 all-time for Nicholls and ties her for ninth on the conference list right now,” Nicholls coach Stefanie Slekis said.

Jinte Braas placed fifth among 13 competitors in the long jump with an effort of 5.3 meters, which is a personal best.

“She actually had her hand back, so that’s like measure where her hand was. So we’re pretty excited she can just pull her arm forward and has a big jump like that at conference. That looks pretty good for her in the pentathlon,” said Slekis.

In the men’s triple jump, Chris Tucker was fourth among five competitors with a distance of 13.92 meters.

“Chris Tucker was right off his personal bests in the men’s triple jump jumping 13.92. So hopefully he can get over 14 meters at the conference meet, although the men’s triple jump looks really loaded for the conference meet this year. But he’ll have a shot at getting himself into the final,” Slekis said.

In the men’s mile, Lucas Futey came in first among Nicholls runners with a time of 4:33.20 to placed 10th among 25 participants. William Nizzo was 15th with a time of 4:36.02, and Alex Hartline was 18th in a time of 4:39.78.

Among the women in the mile, Maria Nikolaou finished ninth among 22 competitors with a time of 5:12.53. Izzy Rivault was 13th with a time of 5:18.63, Sophia Harrison 14th with a time of 5:19.42, and Kassidy Besson 17th with a time of 5:19.48.

In the men’s 200 meters, Nisaiah Bennett was first among Nicholls runners with a time of 22.70 to place sixth among 16 runners. Michael Crawford was 10th with a time of 23.59, Kahlil Lewis 14th with a time of 23.69, and Jordan Johnson 15th in a time of 23.92.

“All seven of them ran personal bests in the mile and then all four of our 200 guys ran personal bests in the 200,” Slekis noted.

In other results among Nicholls men, Goran Duijsters finished sixth (1:59.05) in the men’s 800 meters among 29 competitors. Other Nicholls runners in the top 20 of the men’s 800 were William Bellina in 19th place (2:04.04), and Nick Coonan-Bailey 20th (2:04.23).

Gavin White placed eighth in the long jump (6.29m), and Gavin Windham (6.02) ninth among 12 competitors.

Anthony Landry was 17th of 17 competitors in the 400 meters (59.03).

Jarred Whitrack was seventh among 12 participants in the men’s shot put (12.97m).

The men’s 4 x 400 relay team of Kamren Washington, Duijsters, Kyshun Webster, and Hartline finished fourth among four teams with a time of 3:38.45.

Among the Nicholls women, along with Braas’ fifth place finish in the long jump, Andrea Tirado was 12th among 13 participants (4.73).

Maggie Portier was 15th among 17 participants in the women’s shot put (9.01m), and Mary Guy 17th (8.04).

In the women’s 200, Cherie Neal finished 12th among 27 runners (26.65), Danya Satterfield was 16th (27.04), and Amiya Matthews 23rd (28.27).

Layla Ingalls was 13th among 17 competitors in the women’s 800 (2:26.61), Braas was 14th (2:28.30), and Tirado 16th (2:36.56).

The Nicholls women’s 4 x 400 team of Isabella Seijihouwser, Nikolaou, Ingalls, and Ravault finished fourth among four teams (4:15.73).

“Overall, a good showing. I’m very pleased about where we are heading into the (Southland Conference) championship. It will be our first time on a bank 200-meter track of the championship. I know that 200 guys when I said that to them, they were pretty excited about that. They ran (personal records) on the flat track, so they can go and run well in the curve there,” Slekis said.

The Southland Conference Championship is scheduled for February 26-27 at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala.