Results / Notes / Saturday Heat Sheets
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Boilermakers were champions in three events Friday at the Drake Relays. Savannah Carson continued her stellar sophomore season, winning the long jump and running a leg of the women's 4x200-meter champion team.
Friday's weather, with temperatures in the 40s and low 50s, wasn't very conducive to fast times and huge marks. That didn't stop Purdue from having a stellar day, including top-10 marks in the country and in program history. Carson was again among the most dominant for Purdue. She warmed up for the long jump, and then stepped onto the track to run the anchor leg of the women's 4x100-meter relay. Carson brought home the first-heat win for the team, which included Autumn Heath, Carmiesha Cox and Savannah Roberson, with a time of 44.76 seconds. That time, which finished as the second-fastest in the prelims, automatically qualifies them for Saturday's finals.
Carson then headed back to the long jump where it took her a few jumps to get going. After fouling her first attempt, the sophomore leapt 5.71 meters (18-8.75). That put her in 16th place heading into the third round of jumps. There, she improved with a mark of 5.98m (19-7.50), which put her in third and advanced her to the final three jumps. Carson fouled her next two attempts, before unleashing a wind-legal (+1.5) jump of 6.31m (20-8.50). That mark gave her the win by five inches and marks the third-straight meet she has leapt at least that far. Carson is the first Boilermaker to win the women's long jump at the Drake Relays since Yvonne Netterville did so in 1985.
Carson would wrap up her day in the night session with the 4x200m relay. Teamed with the same three as the 4x100m relay, Carson ran the third leg and maintained the lead that was built by Heath and Cox. Roberson then held off a strong push by the two-time defending Drake Relays champion in the event, Notre Dame. Roberson crossed the finish line for the team with a time of 1:34.72, which was 0.20 of a second ahead of Notre Dame. The time ranks ninth in the world this year.
Symone Black was a Drake Relays champion Friday as well. The sophomore competed in the women's 400-meter hurdles, which was a four-section final. Black was in the final section, which include seven of the top-30 runners in the country. The defending Big Ten champion blew by the field, including this season's conference leader Montayla Holder of Iowa. Black crossed the finish line in 57.72 seconds and was the only competitor to finish under 58 seconds. Black is the first Boilermaker woman to win the 400m hurdles at the Drake Relays.
Black also ran in the women's 4x400-meter relay, as she carried the stick for the third leg. Black gave Purdue a lead, with the team of Aarin Jones, Cox and Taylor Dunlap. The women's team ran a time of 3:39.31 to finish second in their heat and earn an at-large bid in Saturday's final.
Anaquan Peterson had a career day in the triple jump. The junior had a pair of outdoor PRs in the event, starting with a mark of 15.97m (52-4.75) on his fifth attempt. That mark moved him into third in program history. On his final attempt, Peterson leapt a wind-legal (0.0) mark of 16.01m (52-6.50), which is third in Purdue lore. He finished second, just five centimeters behind the top mark. Peterson's leap is tied for the ninth-best in the country this season.
The men's 4x400m relay team of Nicholas Parks, Kyle Webb, Kendal Frederick and Shawndail McLaren finished seventh in the prelims and earned an at-large spot in the finals. The team finished with a time of 3:07.95, which is the second-fastest time in program history. The group will compete Saturday afternoon for the championship.
Janae' Moffitt was a runner-up at her inaugural Drake Relays. The freshman high jumper cleared 1.77m (5-9.75) in the cold weather and tied for second. Moffitt attempted an outdoor PR of 1.81m (5-11.25) and had a great first attempt, before eventually going out at that bar. Micaela Hazlewood was also a runner-up Friday. The sophomore was just off her PR in the women's discus, where she threw 52.45m (172-01). That mark is exactly one foot shy of her career best.
Brad Hoselton threw over 60 meters in the javelin for the first time in his career. He made finals and finished eighth with a best of 60.20m (197-06).
A pair of Purdue alums also competed Friday. Men's high jump school-record holder Geoff Davis cleared 2.09m (6-10.25) and finished eighth in the Rio Olympics Preview. Women's shot put school record holder Dani Bunch finished third in the Rio Olympics Preview shot put, earning $3,000 in the process, with a throw of 17.95m (58-10.75).
The Boilermakers have a busy day of action Saturday, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET. The weather forecast does not look favorable, with predictions calling for 100-percent chance of rain all day and temperatures in the 40s. Follow @PurdueTrackXC on Twitter for live coverage.