MEET INFOÂ Â | MEET NOTES
NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State men's and women's track and field teams split this weekend for the 37th Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Arizona hosted by Arizona State, and the Gibson Invitational hosted by Indiana State.
The Gibson Invitational will feature 23 men's and women's schools with competition starting on Friday. The men's hammer throw is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. CT. The women's javelin and the women's 5,000-meter run are also set to start at 4 p.m. CT, with the rest of the track and field events beginning at 10 a.m. CT. on Saturday.
In Arizona, over 5,000 athletes will compete at the ASU Sun Angel Classic with a wide variety of athletes in the country, which include teenagers, high schools, collegiate athletes and professionals. Eight Redbirds—Elise Anderson, Aidan Askin, Anderson Devonish, JD LaFayette, Jackie Mink, Sarah Mussallem, Kaitlyn Pearson and Kimi Sanden—will compete at the Sun Angel Classic on Saturday.
Pearson and Anderson will compete on Friday, April 8 at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona. Pearson will compete in the women's 100-meter dash at 8:25 p.m. CT., while Anderson will compete at 10:55 p.m. CT. in the women's 200-meter dash.
Last time on the track, the Redbirds had multiple student-athletes earn first-place victories, two coming from Amanda McClain. McClain will look to have similar success this weekend as she will compete in the women's long jump and the women's 200-meter dash. Brandy Thomas posted first place in the women's shot put last weekend, and will seek first place again in the event at the Gibson Invitational. Sanden won the 800-meter run last weekend, but will look to take her talents to the women's 1,500-meter run at the Sun Angel Classic.
Last weekend, Kelly McShea posted a new personal-best 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Stanford Invite with a time of 10:09.56, which earned her Missouri Valley Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week. Her time is leading the Valley and is ranked fifth in the West Region qualifying list. She also owns the ninth spot on the NCAA National qualifying list. McShea will take a break from the steeple, and will compete in the women's 800-meter run at the Gibson Invite.
Askin posted a stellar first-place victory in the men's 1,500-meter run at the EIU Big Blue Classic invitational selection. He will look to have the same success at the Sun Angel Classic, as he will be competing in the men's 1,500-meter run. Kyle Hatton won the 800-meter run last weekend, and will look to have the same results at the Gibson Invite.
Fans can follow the action at the Gibson Track & Field Complex on http://www.timingmd.net/Results/track/gibson_4_7_16/index.htm, or via Twitter by following @Redbird_TrackXC. Full coverage will follow at the conclusion of the meet.
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