VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – All-American
Kiara Grant found the new track at the Virginia Beach Sports Center to her liking, smashing the young facility's record and matching her own school mark in winning the 60-meter dash on Monday at the Virginia Beach Invitational.
In a meet featuring ACC programs UNC, NC State and U.Va. along with NSU, Grant posted a season-best time of 7.20 seconds, the third-fastest in the country so far. Grant also posted a season-best time in the 200 meters, clocking a 23.99 in a second-place finish.
"Kiara showed today why she is the top sprinter in the MEAC and East Region, and one of the top in the country," NSU Director of Track & Field
Kenneth Giles said. "She really broke away toward the end of the race against some good ACC competition."
Grant's school mark in the 60m wasn't the only one to be met or exceeded Monday. Junior
Arieana Parker broke her own NSU standard in the weight throw by nearly a foot. Parker was runner-up Monday with a top heave of 57 feet, 5 inches, besting her previous mark of 56-7.25 from last year.
Parker also finished fifth in the shot put (38-00.25), though she wasn't the top finisher for NSU in that event. That honor went to fellow junior
Tiara Simms, who finished third with a top effort of 38-11.
Other top-five finishes were turned in by
DaJah Parker-Love in the 400 meters (third, 1:00.18) and
Indya Richards in the 60m hurdles (third, 8.72).
The Spartans are next in action this Saturday at Liberty University's Brant Tolsma Invitational.