Murray State Track and Field athletes made a splash on day one of the Joe Walker Invite with an impressive showing, including one event winner and three top-five finishes. The highlight of the day came from Kayla Bell, who won the 800m event and set a new school record with a time of 2:05.32, making her the top performer in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Head coach Adam Kiesler praised Bell’s performance, saying, “She learned some hard lessons during the run, but overall she did very well.” Bell’s victory was a well-deserved accomplishment for the talented athlete, who worked hard to break the 27-year-old school record.
In addition to Bell’s outstanding performance, Teliyah James also had a strong showing, placing second in the 200m dash with a time of 23.78 seconds, which puts her second on the MVC performance list. Meanwhile, Rachel Hagans and Faith Bostick both placed fourth in their respective events, with Hagans jumping 6.01m in the long jump and Bostick running the 200m dash in 24.06 seconds.
Kiesler was pleased with the team’s overall performance on day one, saying, “Overall today was a good day for those who competed. This is the time of the season where we start backing off a little at practice so it’s good to see the marks showing that.”
With day one in the books, the Racers will look to build on their success as they head into day two of the Joe Walker Invite. The team will continue to train hard and focus on achieving their goals as they approach the end of the season.
Murray State Track and Field’s impressive showing on day one of the Joe Walker Invite is a testament to the athletes’ hard work and dedication to their sport. With Bell’s record-breaking performance and the team’s top-five finishes, the Racers are poised to make a statement in the Missouri Valley Conference and beyond. Fans can tune in tomorrow to watch the team continue to compete at the Joe Walker Invite.