FAIRFAX, Va. – Malika Pride and
Martha Bissah notched victories in their respective races as the NSU women's track and field team opened the 2020 portion of its indoor schedule on Saturday at the Father Diamond Invitational hosted by George Mason University.
Pride broke her PR in the 500 meters by three seconds, winning the event with a time of 1 minute, 13.77 seconds. Bissah, meanwhile, pulled away from the field for a comfortable win in the mile. Her winning time was 4 minutes, 48.67 seconds, 24 seconds ahead of runner-up and teammate
Kara Grant, who was competing in her first track meet with NSU.
The Spartans also got a runner-up finish from junior
Kiara Grant in the 400 meters. She was the top collegiate finisher in 59.75 seconds.
That same group of Spartans – Pride, Bissah,
Kara Grant and
Kiara Grant – won the 4x400 meter relay in 3:51.31.
In field events, the Spartans recorded a total of six top-five finishes. Sophomore
Tiara Simms placed third (41 feet, 6 inches) and freshman
Ameya Williams fifth (40-7.75) in the shot put. In the weight throw, sophomore
Arieana Parker took third with a PR of 50-8.25, and senior
Daiysa Burrell placed fifth with a top throw of 47-9.75.
Two Spartan freshmen competed in the pole vault: Destiny Hooker, who was fourth with a top clearance of 9-8, and
Kylis Gilmore, who was fifth with a height of 9-2.25.
The Spartans return to action this Saturday at the Great Dane Classic hosted by the University of Albany.
