Miami track and field sets eight personal bests at LSU Alumni Gold

Graduate student Isaiah Holmes competes in the Men’s High Jump at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational Meet at Cobb Stadium on April 8, 2022. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

Graduate student Isaiah Holmes competes in the Men’s High Jump at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational Meet at Cobb Stadium on April 8, 2022.
Graduate student Isaiah Holmes competes in the Men’s High Jump at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational Meet at Cobb Stadium on April 8, 2022. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

The Canes traveled to Baton Rouge for the LSU Alumni Gold on Saturday and returned to Coral Gables with eight personal bests – four on the track and four in the field events.

Justin Rittenhouse got Miami off to a strong start, blazing past his competition in the 1500 meter to win in 3:56.41. Ayman Zahafi, who has the 13th best NCAA 800-meter time, would also cross the finish line first, taking his best event in 1:48.17.

Sincere Rhea set the first PR of the day on the track, running the 110-meter hurdles in 13.89. Jalen Gordon would follow suit in the 400 meter, finishing in 48.56 seconds for another PR.

On the women’s side, Kennedy Brace and Blanca Hervas-Rodriguez would also set PRs in the 400 meter, sprinting the event in 53.73 and 53.85, respectively.

In the field events, Debbie Ajagbe opened the action with a second-place finish in the discus, throwing 54.59m. Later, she placed second once more in the hammer throw, with a 61.21m hurl. Hannah Sophia-Hall tallied a 51.72m PR in the discus and won the shot put with a 16.73m mark.

Freshman Erikka Hill placed third in the shot put with a 15.88m PR.

Justin Williams set another PR, throwing the discus 56.26m, which improved upon his third-farthest mark in program history, for a second-place finish. He also took third in the shot put with a 17.18m heave.

Freshman Ashley Moore closed out the field events, who finished third in the triple jump with a 13.03m leap, a personal best.

Miami ends its regular season in Jacksonville, Fla., with the UNF Invite on April 29-30, its last meet before the ACC Championships.