FAYETTEVILLE, AR – In drastically cold temperatures in Northwestern Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff track team completed another week of competition in the John McDonnell Invitational at John McDonnell Field, known as the "Track Capital of the World."
Arriving at the track in multiple layers of clothing due to the bad weather conditions, sensation Safiya John searched for a way to warm up and did so with her preparation for the women's 100-meter hurdles.
Comfortable in her starting position, John pushed out of the blocks with explosiveness after the gun fired, attacking the first hurdle. Keeping the same rhythm until she reached the finish line, John finished in third place with a time of 14.00 seconds.
John immediately reported to the long jump pit, where she knew she wouldn't only keep herself warm but warm up the audience as well. John would leap 5.76 meters to get a rhythm clap going to qualify for three extra jumps in the finals. John knew she could get further into the sand, and with her adrenaline pumping in the final, she aimed to get past the six-meter barrier.
In her final jump, John would get the crowd involved again in assisting her with a rhythm clap before she went into her rolling approach. Firing out down the runway into a 1.8 headwind, she would take her penultimate step to attack the board and launch herself in the air to tuck, extend, and reach into the sand to jump 6.02 meters (19-09.00) to finish in fourth place.
Deonmonique Granville would make some significant noise in the women's shot put in the throwers ring and show why she's amongst one of the top throwers in Arkansas. Throwing a new personal best of 14.40 meters on her second throw, Granville wanted to dig deeper. "I'm glad I PR'd, but I know I have more in me to give," said Granville in between throws.
In her next throw, Granville would extend her personal best on the day to 14.52 meters (47-07.75) to finish in fifth place.
On the men's side, Caleb Snowden would clear a height of 2.05 meters (6-08.75) to finish in fourth place.
UAPB track and field will travel to Norman, Oklahoma, next weekend to compete in the Sooner Invitational held at the University of Oklahoma.
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