Johnson, Martinez Advance into Hurdle Finals on Saturday

Saturday, May 14

San Antonio, Texas

Western Kentucky University

Conference USA Outdoor Championships

5/14/2022 10:01:00 PM | Track & Field

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – WKU Track & Field hurdlers Cedric Johnson and Zackery Martinez advanced out of their preliminary hurdle races and will compete in the finals tomorrow at the Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

In the 400-meter hurdles, Martinez clocked a new personal best by over a second, finishing fifth. He put up a time of 52.92 to advance into Sunday's final race.

Johnson broke the 15-second mark in the short-distance, 110-meter hurdles to finish in ninth and qualify for the finals. He clocked a 14.82, also a PR, to advance past Saturday. Both hurdlers will have the opportunity to add points to the board for the Hilltoppers with the top eight in each race scoring points.

Other personal bests for the men came from Clint Sherman in the 800 and Gabriel Dozier in the 100. Sherman missed the finals of the 800 by mere milliseconds with a personal best time of 1:53.80. Dozier broke 11 seconds in the sprint race with a time of 10.91.

Multiple PR's also came on the women's side of the program on Saturday. Samyzia Sears led the way with a major PR in the long jump at 5.69 meters. She finished 17th in the event before logging another PR in the 100-meter hurdles. She ran a 14.34 and finished 11th in the preliminary round of the event.

Freshman Elyssa Toal turned two personal bests in her first outdoor championships. She broke the 5-minute mark in the 1500 with a time of 4:56.01 while also PR'ing in the 800 with a time of 2:19.98.

Martinez and Johnson will run in the finals of the hurdles races on the last day of the championships while WKU adds multiple distance runners in the mix of the men's and women's 5k. The Hilltoppers will also run the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays.

Women's javelin, high jump, pole vault and shot put in addition to men's triple jump will wrap up the program's field event slate on Sunday afternoon.

Women's Results
Hammer throw
2^nd – Ajla Basic – 59.07m (193' 9")* - 8 points
13^th – Ines Lopez Arias – 47.67m (156' 4")
15^th – Tayelor Thrasher-Walker – 45.71m (149' 11")
18^th – Mary Claire Redden – 36.66m (120' 3")
Rachel Flinchum – NM
Aitana Safont Falomir – NM
Discus
10^th – Ines Lopez Arias – 41.45m
Long Jump
17^th – Samyzia Sears – 5.69m (18' 8")*
100m Prelims
10^th – Queen Couch – 11.94
100m Hurdles Prelims
11^th – Samyzia Sears – 14.34*
400m Hurdles Prelims
19^th – Audrey Griffin – 1:09.43
800m Prelims
19^th – Madeline Powell – 2:18.86
20^th – Elyssa Toal – 2:19.98*
1500m Prelims
18^th – Elyssa Toal – 4:56.01*
23^rd – Lucy Rutherford – 5:12.36
3,000m Steeplechase
15^th – Maddy Hurt – 12:32.03
10k
8^th - Savannah Heckman – 37:22.79 – 1 point

Men's Results
Hammer throw
6^th – Joel Dittoe – 55.06m (180' 7")* - 3 points
12^th – Brett Brannon – 46.63m (153')
Pole Vault
Devon Montgomery – NH
100m Prelims
12^th – Steven Simmons – 10.64
22^nd – Gabriel Dozier – 10.91*
110m Hurdles Prelims
9^th – Cedric Johnson – 14.82* – advanced to finals
400m Hurdles Prelims
5^th – Zackery Martinez – 52.92* – advanced to finals
800m Prelims
10^th – Clint Sherman – 1:53.80*
1500m Prelims
19^th – Clint Sherman – 4:02.04
20^th – Dedrick Troxell – 4:05.40
3,000m Steeplechase
9^th – Keegan Barnette – 9:29.37
10k
Will Perrone – DNF

*denotes collegiate PR