Sand Sharks claim twin triumphs at Sun Conference track championships

USC Beaufort freshman Jhari Williams won three events and anchored the winning 4x100 relay, leading a dominant women’s performance as the Sand Sharks swept both team titles at the Sun Conference Track & Field Championships in Miramar, Fla.

USCB women were victorious in 12 of 25 events in the women’s meet, nearly doubling the point total of second-place Keiser. Though the USCB men captured only three events, superior depth allowed them to separate themselves from Keiser and complete the sweep.

It marked the first conference championship for both programs.

Williams swept individual titles Sunday in the women’s 100 and 200 meters, coupled with the long-jump crown captured on Saturday’s opening day. Her victory in the 200 was part of a 1-2 USCB finish, with Faith Calloway crossing second.

Calloway also was at the front of a 1-2 USCB finish in the 400 meters, beating teammate Corta’Nasha Mutcherson to the tape.

Williams, Calloway and Mutcherson additionally were part of the winning 4x100 relay, joined by Taylor Superior.

Superior also claimed two individual wins, breaking her own school record in the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.80 seconds. It marked the 43rd time this season that USCB athletes broke or matched a school standard.

Superior also cruised to victory in the 400 hurdles, winning by more than three seconds.

Two other USCB women posted multiple wins, with Betsy Douglas capturing the 1,500 and 5,000 meters and Jaslyn Joseph sweeping the high jump and triple jump. Hunter Dye (javelin) and Lauren Tregoning (pole vault) rounded out the list of winners.

Freshman Malik Paul was a double champion on the men’s side, winning the hammer throw on Saturday and the discus on Sunday. The Sand Sharks also claimed the top four spots in the pole vault, with Joseph Hutchinson edging out twin brother Jacob for first place.

Demetris Davis was runner-up in both the 110 and 400 hurdles, as the Sand Sharks placed four hurdlers in the 400 hurdles final and three in the 110.

USCB’s sweep of titles made first-year coach Bernard Gaither an easy selection as the conference’s coach of the year. Williams was named the league’s top women’s track athlete and Paul took top honors among men’s field athletes.

This story was originally published April 24, 2017 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Sand Sharks claim twin triumphs at Sun Conference track championships."