3rd ranked Barton women's track and field wins ten events, places runner-up at Region VI Championships; Hassnaoui and Williamson earn Athlete of Meet awards #GoBarton

The 3rd ranked Barton Community College women's track and field team won ten of their twelve events entered this past weekend at the Pittsburg State University's Robert W. Plaster Center to finish runner-up at the KJCCC/Region VI Indoor Championships.

Having a talented stable of everyone placing in the top eight to earn points, the Cougars simply didn't have enough horses in scoring 141 points as Cloud County compiled 180.5 to win the title with Fort Scott and Colby a distance third at 70 points.

Amongst the performances, Barton swept both the Track and Field Athletes of the Meet honors, recorded 13 personal or season bests, added five new national qualifying tickets, continued its rewriting of the program record book with five etchings, and reset the meet's mile run record.

Barton's post-meet individual awards as chosen by coaches were Sanae Hassnaoui in track after capturing two events including breaking the meet's mile record and Jazmine Williamson in field having won the high jump, was runner-up in the long jump, and placed 4th in the triple jump helping the Cougars accumulate 50 points in the jump events.

Setting the program mile run record last week in Arkansas, Hassnaoui came up shy of her best on Sunday with a 4:48.97 but was still good enough to break the 2006 record by nearly eight seconds. The freshman would later compete in the 3000m for the first time collegiately, not only winning by nearly seven seconds but crossed the line in a program 10th fastest time of 10:21.79.

Williamson concluded her three-event weekend with the high jump title rising to a 1.72m (5-07.75) height after placing runner-up to fellow Cougar Chloe Perryman in Saturday's long jump by recording her personal best for the second straight week of competition with a 5.89m (19-4.00) mark in the sand. Perryman took the event soaring to a personal best 6.18m (20-3.25) etching her name in the 8th slot in program history.

The duo began Sunday's final day in the triple jump, Williamson again marking a personal best and nationally qualifying mark of 11.34m (37-02.50) to place 4th while Perryman competed in the event for the first time in placing 6th at 10.74 (35-2.75).

Kay-Lagay Clarke's season best of 12.07m (39-7.25) took the triple jump title to join her earlier 60m hurdle crown in a personal best 8.70 for a nice Sunday haul following her 5th placing on Saturday in the long jump on a season best and national qualifying ticket of 5.62m (18-5.25).

Keliza Smith's progression through the season in the sprints was also impressive in clocking personal bests, winning not only the 60m with a 7.44 time but the 200m in 23.99 to improve her program 9th fastest time.

Joining Smith, Clarke, and Hassnaoui as two event champions, Treneese Hamilton swept both the throwing events. On Saturday Hamilton reset her best weight throw to 17.45m (57-03.00) to move up a spot on the program all-time list to 6th before moving up the chart again in Sunday's shot put with a 16.06m (52-8.25) heave to jump from 6th to 4th place on the list.

Additional new national qualifying performances were: Shone Walters' first time in the 1000m clocking a 3:02.69 to finish third and Ivanilda Semedo's 15.08m (49-6.00) in the weight throw to place 6th.

The Cougars conclude the indoor season in a couple of weeks competing at the 2024 NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships held March 1-2 at the Alachua County Sports & Event Center in Gainesville, Florida.

Barton's Region VI Indoor Championship Results (Complete Results) (PR/PB = Personal record/best; NQ = Nationally Qualified; ANQ = Already Nationally Qualified)
60m: CHAMPION Keliza Smith (T-PB 7.44 *ANQ)
60m Hurdles: CHAMPION Kay-Lagay Clarke (PB 8.70 *ANQ), 7th Widlife Vermilus (9.96 *PB 9.72 in prelims)
200m: CHAMPION Keliza Smith (PB 23.99 *ANQ **Improved her 9th fastest program all-time)
600m: 5th Shone Walters (1:39.27 *ANQ), 9th Kialia Claiborne (1:40.53)
1000m: 3rd Shone Walters (NQ 3:02.69 *1st time in event)
Mile Run: CHAMPION Sanae Hassnaoui (4:48.87 *ANQ **Meet Record)
3000m: CHAMPION Sanae Hassnaoui (NQ 10:21.79 *1st time in event **10th Program best)
Long Jump: CHAMPION Chloe Perryman (PB 6.18m, 20-3.25 *ANQ **8th Program best), 2nd Jazmine Williamson (PB 5.89m, 19-4.00 *ANQ), 5th Kay-Lagay Clarke (SB NQ 5.62m, 18-5.25)
Triple Jump: CHAMPION Kay-Lagay Clarke (SB 12.07m, 39-7.25 *ANQ), 4th Jazmine Williamson (PB NQ 11.34m 37-02.50), 6th Chloe Perryman (10.74m, 35-2.75 *1st time in event)
High Jump: CHAMPION Jazmine Williamson (1.72m, 5-07.75 *ANQ)
Shot Put: CHAMPION Treneese Hamilton (PB 16.06m, 52-8.25 *ANQ **Moves from 6th to 4th on program all-time list), 4th Ivanilda Semedo (13.36, 43.10.00 *ANQ), 8th Cedricka Williams (PB 12.75m, 41-10.00 *ANQ)
Weight Throw: CHAMPION Treneese Hamilton (PB 17.45m, 57-3.00 *ANQ **Moves from 7th to 6th on program all-time list), 6th Ivanilda Semedo (PB NQ 15.08m, 49-6.00), DNP Cedricka Williams (Foul *ANQ)