Track & Field 2k21: Drake Relays Micro-Recap

Here is a look at three events from last weekend's Drake Relays, which were held in Des Moines, Iowa, April 22-24.

100 Meters Final

Symone Darius - North Carolina A&T 11.45

Madison Meredith - Missouri State 11.47

Cambrea Sturgis - North Carolina A&T 11.48

Kamaya Debose-Epps - North Carolina A&T 11.49

Jonah Ross - North Carolina A&T 11.60

Tristian Evelyn - Houston 11.61

Camille Rutherford - Houston 11.61

Anayah Washington - Texas State 11.86

A native of New Rochelle, New York, Symone Darius grabbed a 100 meters win for North Carolina A&T at the Drake Relays, last weekend. Darius is a transfer who was an All-American at Alabama. She ran a personal best at 11.45 finishing ahead of Missouri State's Madison Meredith's time of 11.47 and North Carolina A&T's Cambrea Sturgis at 11.48. The win is Symone's first open victory at North Carolina A&T. She started the outdoor season with wins as a member of the Aggies' 400-meter relay and 1,600-meter relay teams at the Bill Webb Multi/Bob Davidson Invite, March 20. At the Drake Relays Symone got another win in the 1,600-meter relay with teammates Sturgis, Jonah Ross and Delecia McDuffie at 3:37.30. That foursome bested Houston's Zarie Dumas, Payge Side, Iman Babineaux and Aliyah Taylor that placed second at 3:40.09.

In the 100, Meredith's time was the best of her career. The race marked the first time that she didn't win the 60 or 100 meters in 2021. This winter she took the Missouri Valley Conference indoor championship in the 60 and 200 meters.

100-meter Hurdles Final

Naomi Taylor - Houston 12.84

TeJyrica Robinson - North Carolina 13.01

Paula Salmon - North Carolina 13.07

Jaymie O'Connor - South Dakota State 13.74

Remy Amarteifio - Northern Illinois 13.79

Olivia Brown - Kennesaw State 14.08

Houston's Naomi Taylor won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.84, which is tied for the fourth best time in the NCAA. Her time was wind aided at 3.7. She placed ahead of two North Carolina A&T competitors, TeJyrica Robinson (13.01) and Paula Salmon (13.07) who placed second and third. The win was Taylor's second win of the season as she won the Cougar Spring Break meet, March 18 at 13.41. Taylor got a couple of runner-up finishes at the LSU Boots Garland Invitational and UTSA Invitational meets.

Taylor was the 60-meter hurdles indoor champ at the 2020 and 2019 American Athletic Conference indoor championship meets. She also won the 100-meter hurdles at the 2019 outdoor conference championship. After winning the Aggie Invitational on April 10 at 12.97, Robinson looked like she was going to capture another win when she ran the best time during the Drake prelims at 13.50 but her second best finish of the season wasn't enough to top Taylor.

Salmon kicked off her outdoor season with a win at the Bill Webb Multi/Bob Davidson Invite at 13.29 on March 20. She finished second to Robinson at the 2021 Aggie Invitational with a time of 13.15.

Long Jump Final

Jazmyn Smith - Northern Illinois 6.06

Naomi Ferdinand - Texas State 5.99

Talia Emerson - Missouri State 5.92

Holly Gerberding - South Dakota 5.88

Katie Thompson - Air Force 5.86

Anayah Washington - Texas State 5.84

Jodi Lipp - North Dakota State 5.74

Brooke Jenkins - Missouri State 5.66

Amelia Peterson - Western Illinois - 5.49

Northern Illinois' Jazmyn Smith collected her third long jump win of the season at the Drake Relays, April 22. She topped all competitors with a personal best jump of 6.06. Smith's previous wins came at the Big Blue Classic, April 10, where she jumped a mark of 5.99 and the Illinois State Redbird Invitational, April 2, where she hit 5.92. At the Drake Relays, Smith was the only competitor to jump over six meters. Prior to this year, Smith had never earned a collegiate long jump win during outdoor season.