No. 4 Razorbacks cap weekend with 4x400m win

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The fourth-ranked University of Arkansas women’s track and field team capped their weekend at the 2013 Armory Collegiate Invitational with two wins Saturday, including a first-place performance in the 4x400-meter relay. The Razorbacks also picked up a win from Keri Wood on day two of the New York meet held at the Armory. Arkansas returns to Fayetteville next weekend to host the Tyson Invitational (Feb. 8-9).

In the final event of the weekend, the Razorbacks’ relay foursome of Sparkle McKnight, Martine Borge, Gwedolyn Flowers and Regina George combined for a season-best time of 3:35.20 to win the 4x400-meter event. Arkansas finished nearly three seconds ahead of runner-up Clemson which had a time of 3:38.06 to win section one. Borge and Flowers were making their second track appearances of the day.

Wood led a quartet of Razorback runners to top-seven finishes in the college section of the mile. Wood crossed the finish line in first place with a time of 4:48.90 and was followed by Diane Robison in third place at 4:49.79, Semehar Tesfaye in fourth at 4:50.97 and Paige Johnston in seventh at 4:53.16. The time for Robison is a personal best, knocking nearly 16 seconds off her previous best.

In the Razorbacks’ first race of the day, Shannon Klenke and Jessica Kamilos ran to a 3-4 finish in the college section of the 3,000 meters, respectively. Klenke clocked a lifetime best of 9:41.73 while Kamilos completed her first career indoor 3K in 9:43.50. It was the second day of competition at the Armory for Kamilos who recorded a personal best of 2:50.42 in Friday’s championship section of the 1,000 meters.

Borge clocked a season-best time of 2:08.65 to finish in eighth place overall in the championship section of the 800 meters. She won the opening section of the timed final and finished with the top-eight result based on times from section two. In her first event of the day, Flowers had a 10th-place overall finish in the championship section of the 400 meters.

For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Fans can also keep up with Arkansas cross country and track and field through the team’s sport-specific RazorbackTF Facebook and Twitter pages.

Saturday Results
400 Meters – final
(championship)
10. Gwendolyn Flowers – 55.59

800 Meters
(championship)
8. Martine Borge – 2:08.65

Mile
(college)
1. Keri Wood – 4:48.90
3. Diane Robison – 4:49.79 (PR – prev: 5:05.60)
4. Semehar Tesfaye – 4:50.97
7. Paige Johnston – 4:53.16

3,000 Meters
(college)
3. Shannon Klenke – 9:41.73 (PR – prev: 9:49.86)
4. Jessica Kamilos – 9:43.50
17. Rachel Carpino – 10:03.60

4x400m Relay
(championship)
1. McKnight/Borge/Flowers/George – 3:35.20

PR – personal best