Results

LEXINGTON, Va. – Looking to compete well against excellent regional competition, the VMI track and field teams concluded the 2020 VMI Indoor Classic with top marks Saturday afternoon at the Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington.
 
Senior Jahanzib Shahbaz stole the show in the men's mile run by breaking the Pakistani national record for the 1500 meter (4:03) by 13 seconds as he was timed simultaneously with a split time of 3:50.45. For the mile run, he placed second in 4:06.89, a lifetime best and currently the fifth-best time in the Southern Conference. Former Keydet great Donnie Cowart competed unattached in the race and finished in 4:06.00 flat to place first. VMI's Zach Lauster also showed well in the event with an eighth-place mark of 4:22.63.
 
Shahbaz would later compete in the 800 meter and came out on top in 1:52.87 as he rallied in the final leg to defeat his opponents. Freshman David Fiorillo also competed in the 800 and placed 19^th in 1:59.02.
 
The women's 4x400 grouping of Marissa Linkous, Ahliyah Williams, Ingrid Joseph and Ariana Ruffin came in fourth overall in 3:54.63, the second fastest time in program history for the event.
 
"I am excited to see what we can run moving forward," said VMI head coach Darrin Webb. "This was a great place to start. We continue to move many names up the conference lists for their respective events. We will take a select group to South Carolina next week, which will be our first meet outside of the building, then back here for the SoCon Championships."
 
In the women's weight throw, junior Sarah Leckman earned a personal record of 15.28 meters (50'1-75") to place seventh in the event.
 
Senior James Granderson came into the spotlight with a 6.93 meter (22'9") performance in the men's long jump to place eighth overall. Sophomore Max Burke came in 16^th with a distance of 6.69 meters. Pole vaulter Griffin Kowal also came in eighth with a height of 4.50 meters (14'9").
 
Rafael Mas arrived in seventh place in the men's 500 meter in 1:06.85 for a solid performance.
 
In the women's 800, senior Logan Luckett placed 17^th in 2:26.04 for the top VMI showing in the event.  On the men's side of the 200, Jordin Poindexter came in 13^th overall in 22.28 seconds just ahead of Jonathan Gray, who placed 20^th in 22.47, his personal indoor best.
 
Freshman Johnathan Krone finished 19^th overall in the men's 3000 meter with a time of 9:04.75, while Anna Armfield (16^th, 11:02.85) and Sara Belamarich (18^th, 11:10.75) competed well for the women's event.
 
The Keydets return to action next Saturday at the University of South Carolina Indoor Open in Columbia, South Carolina.