Levy Posts Another Impressive Outing at Triton Invitational
RESULTS: Triton Invitational | Bill Williams/Bob Laptad Inv.
LA JOLLA, Calif. – Junior Daina Levy claimed the top collegiate finish in a field of some of the top hammer throwers in the nation Friday at the Triton Invitational. Levy also added a season-best mark in the discus and was joined by two other Jayhawks in top-25 finishes in the event with more than 70 competitors.
Levy entered the day one week removed from the best outing of her career when she tallied a personal record in the hammer throw at the Kansas Relays. The performance moved Levy to No. 5 in the latest NCAA standings and made her one of six hammer throwers ranked in the nation’s top-25 entered in the Triton Invite event Friday. On her second stroll into the throws cage, Levy unleashed a toss of 63.67 meters (208’10”), a mark which, for a short time, put her on top of the 74-woman field. Fouls on her next two attempts and marks which were not improvements on her last two throws resulted in professional Kristin Smith overtaking Levy for the lead. However, Levy managed to remain as the top collegian by the competition’s end.
Levy, along with junior teammates Anastasiya Muchkayev and Dasha Tsema also earned top-25 finishes in the open division discus. Muchkayev turned in a top mark of 50.47 meters (165’7″) to finish 20th overall, with Tsema not far behind in 21st by way of a throw of 50.41 meters (165’4″). Levy hit a season-best performance in the event on the shoulders of a mark of 50.06 meters (164’3″), good enough for a 23rd-place finish.
The Kansas throwers will return to action Saturday at the Triton Invitational. The men’s hammer throw will kick off the day at 12 p.m. (CT), with the men’s discus and men’s and women’s shot put to follow throughout the day.
JOPLIN, Mo. – Kansas enjoyed a pair of victories as a small group of Jayhawk sprinters and hurdlers competed at the Bill Williams/Bob Laptad Invitational Friday afternoon. Sophomore Zainab Sanni helped the women’s 4×100-meter relay squad pick up a win before tacking on a victory of her own in the 400-meter dash.
Sanni was on the second leg of the Jayhawk 4×100-meter relay that was competing in its first race of the season. The quartet of Sydney Conley, Sanni, Jasmine Thomas and Lindsay Vollmer passed their baton around in 45.51 to win the event. Kansas outpaced the runner-up squad from Coffeyville Community College by .4 seconds.
Sanni returned to the track later in the afternoon for the first 400-meter hurdle race of her career. The Aurora, Colorado product blew away the competition after completing her quarter-mile lap in 55.80, nearly four seconds faster than the next finisher. The time inserted Sanni’s name at No. 17 on the Big 12 performance chart. She now ranks among the top-20 in the conference in the 100 meter, 200 meters and 400 meters.
On the men’s side, Michael Stigler had another solid outing with impressive showings in the 200 meters and the 4×100-meter relay. Stigler was the third collegian to cross the finish, posting a time of 21.44, the second-fastest 200 meters by a Jayhawk this season. The senior joined the Jayhawks’ 4×100-meter relay team in a runner-up finish. The quartet of Tre Daniels, Jaron Hartley, Cameron Johnson and Stigler combined for a time of 41.18.
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