Haywood Downs 43-Year-Old Freshman Record At Music City Challenge

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lady Vol rookie Ka’Myya Haywood etched her name into the Tennessee track & field record book on Saturday at the Music City Challenge with her lifetime-best performance in the 800-meter run. The Jacksonville, Florida, native turned in a time of 2:05.25, taking down a 43-year-old UT freshman record of 2:06.36 that was set in 1981 by eventual four-time Olympian and Collegiate Hall of Famer Joetta Clark.
 
Haywood’s performance also cracked the program’s all-time list of top 10 performers in the indoor 800-meter, checking in at No. 8 in Lady Vol history. She currently ranks ninth in the SEC this season and second among freshmen in the conference.
 
Her 800-meter mark was one of three Tennessee freshman records to fall on the weekend. Sprinter Zyaire Nuriddin topped his own rookie standard in the men’s indoor 400-meter with his season-best time of 46.23 on Friday afternoon at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational, while Caroline Lyerly obliterated the Lady Vol freshman record in the indoor 5k by more than 39 seconds on Friday night with a time of 16:06.65 at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston.
 
Tennessee’s sprint group at the Tiger Paw Invite saw an impressive victory from senior standout Javonte’ Harding in the men’s 200-meter dash on Saturday. The nine-time All-American from Prince George, Virginia, placed first overall with his season-best time of 20.65 that currently ranks 10th in the NCAA this season.
 
Lady Vol graduate sprinter Dennisha Page was UT’s top performer in the women’s 200-meter dash at Clemson, finishing .01 seconds off her personal best with a time of 23.13 to place sixth overall.
 
Back in Nashville, freshman Avaunt Ortiz picked up his first collegiate victory in the men’s unseeded 400-meter. He crossed the line in 47.23 seconds, topping his previous indoor personal best by more than a second.
 
The Tennessee distance squad capped the weekend at the Valentine Invitational at Boston University, with three Vols running all-time top 10 marks for UT in the men’s indoor 5,000-meter. Yaseen Abdalla (13:46.39) and Brandon Olden (13:46.46) finished almost simultaneously for the No. 3 and No. 4 performances in program history, followed by Gabriel Sanchez clocking in at 13:55.46 to rank No. 6 in Tennessee annals.
 
PR TRACKER: Tennessee athletes combined to break or tie five indoor personal records on Saturday at the Tiger Paw Invitational, Music City Challenge and David Hemery Valentine…