By TODD MOORE
Barton Sports Info
Keliza Smith's pair of program history impacts highlighted the Barton Community College track and field team program's performances this weekend competing in the Tyson Invitational held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Previously nationally qualified in three events, Smith competed in all three of the two-day meet improving two of her event times. Most notably, Smith's 200m racing to a 23.54 10th place clocking moved up from 5th to 3rd on the program's all-time fastest. Kayda Austin also bettered her national qualifying time by clocking a 24.38 to place 33rd overall in the 64-entry field.
Smith's anchor leg of the nation's leading 4x400m squad of Natasha Fox, Austin, and Shone Walters, brought home the baton in 3:44.42 as the time checked into the 10th slot of the program's all-time best.
The Cougars reset seven combined season or season best performances with Asharria Ulett coming away with the lone event victory by bettering the twenty-six member, four-year level field on an 8.57 clocking as fellow national qualifier Ty'yanah Adams placed 14th at 8.80.
The meet served as the final tune-up prior to the indoor post-season beginning February 22 in Pittsburg for the KJCCC/Region 6 Championships. National qualifiers throughout the season then advance to the NJCAA Championships held March 7-8 in Lubbock, Texas.
Additional improvements, each coming from previously national qualified individuals, were Fox in the 400m (56.02), Chloe Perryman's season best long jump (5.69m, 19-08.00), and Kymia Bridgett in the triple jump (11.74m, 38-6.25).