University of Mount Olive’s Demonte Lavender competes in the long jump during the 2023 Trojan Relays held on the University of Mount Olive campus. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Riana Hatchet, from the University of Mount Olive, competes in the women’s long jump during the 2023 Trojan Relays held on the UMO campus this past Saturday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive freshman Zyshone finished third in the men’s javelin (37.94 meters) during the 2023 Trojan Relayns contested this past Saturday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Nate Bierly clears the hurdle during the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase held at the Ray McDonald Sr. Sports Complex on the UMO campus Saturday. Bierly finished second. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Barton hurdler Ronnie Robinson competes during an early heat in the men’s 110-meter hurdles during the 2023 Trojan Relays held at the University of Mount Olive on Saturday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
East Carolina’s Jared Harrell, right, takes the handoff from teammate Royal Burris on the third leg of the men’s 4x1 relay during the 2023 Trojan Relays on Saturday. The Pirates won the race in 40.31 seconds. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Mary Brigid Keck, one of University of Mount Olive’s most-decorated track athletes, finished second in the hammer throw (52.99m) and third in discus competition (42.59m). (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Barton’s Deshawn Owens, a Charles B. Aycock alumni, leads the field on the final lap of the men’s 1,500-meter run during the 2023 Trojan Relays. Trailing Owens is University of Mount Olive’s Riley Willcox, NC Central’s Emmanuel Paddyforte and CBA alum Joseph Mooneyham. Owens continues to hold the Wayne County 5k record. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Mora Smith kicks up a little dust during the women’s long jump competition at the 2023 Trojan Relays on Saturday. Smith placed eighth overall. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive freshman Josh Manning gets back to his feet after his second long jump attempt in the 2023 Trojan Relays. Manning wound up fifth with a mark of 6.74 meters - just 0.01 meters behind UNC Wilmington’s Donovan Lara. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive’s Trinity Frayer collected a third-place finish in the women’s pole vault during the 2023 Trojan Relays. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive sprinter Tylyia Twiggs ended up fifth in the women’s 100-meter hurdles during the 2023 Trojan Relays. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
University of Mount Olive senior Josh Faison emerged victorious in two individual events during the 2023 Trojan Relays contested on an overcast, breezy Saturday afternoon.
Faison claimed the top mark in the shot put — a throw of 16.52 meters, which occurred on his second attempt. The Smithfield-Selma High School alum secured the discus event with a mark of 55.39m on his final attempt.
Sprinter Justen Burnette seized the 200-meter dash in 20.86 seconds and crossed the finish line second in the 100 dash (10.55).
Alex Smith-Forte emerged as the top men’s hammer thrower with a distance of 55.69 meters (182 feet, 7 inches). Teammate Israel Long took second (52.22m) and Faison was fourth at 51.16m. He achieved the mark after four consecutive fouls.
UMO grabbed first in the women’s 4×4 relay with a time of 3:50.15. The foursome was comprised of Vinesha Briggs, Jaiden Moody, Channie Jefferson and Jaylin Reeves.
Jefferson won the 400 hurdles in 1:01.66.
Earlier in the day, the Trojan women wound up second behind UNC Wilmington in the 4×1 relay. The quartet of Jefferson, Reeves, Moody and Jamesha Howell posted a time of 45.83 seconds — a scant 0.16 seconds behind the Seahawks.
The Trojans’ Nate Bierly passed UNCW’s Luke Kiziah with two laps remaining to take second behind Conference Carolinas rival Lucas Nervo of UNC Pembroke in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. Bierly logged a time of 10:15.84.
Riley Willcox ended up third in the men’s 1,500 meters. Barton’s Deshawn Owens, a Charles B. Aycock alum, won the event. Another CBA alum, Joseph Mooneyham, collected fifth.
Owens holds the Wayne County record in the men’s 5k.
Returning national qualifier Mary Brigid Keck placed second in the hammer throw (52.99m) and third in discus competition (42.59m).
Other third-place finishers for the Trojans were Danielle Trimbur (women’s javelin), Zyshone White (men’s javelin), Demonte Lavender (men’s high jump), Trinity Fayer (women’s pole vault) and Andrew Nixon (men’s 400).
Approximately 200 athletes from Division I, II and III universities participated in the day-long event contested at the Ray McDonald Sr. Sports Complex.
UMO returns to action Apr 21-22 at the University of South Carolina.
