The A&T track and field program held its first of six meetings at Irwin Belk track this past weekend.

Although A&T may not have enough depth to compete for the MEAC Championship, they were still able to make up for it with their quality of talent placing in various events.

Junior Gordon Smith, the 2006 400-meter hurdles champion, qualified for the East Regionals with a second place time of 52.43, and jumped with a leap of 6-feet, 10 ¾ inches placing second in the high jump.

In addition in advancing in these events, he also helped contribute to A&T’s men’s 4×4 relay team first place finish, along with Akinwole Jordan, D-Mitri Bouttry, and Jarrell Elliott.

“I am very proud of and happy for Gordon,” said associate track and field coach James Daniels, who works with the Aggie sprinters and hurdlers. “He has always worked hard and been very coachable. I believe it is his time to execute what we always believed he could do.”

The Aggies had 20 top five finishes in total, as the men contributed with 13 to the women’s seven.

“We’re not going to get points on depth,” said director of track and field programs Roy Thompson about the upcoming MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships held at Irwin Belk Track April 30-May 2.

“We have to make sure if we have someone who is talented enough to finish first or second, they need to finish first or second. One thing about not having a lot of depth is that you can’t afford to make mistakes. We must minimize our mistakes and maximize on our great talent.”

The women also helped prove Thompson’s theory of his team true. 

Senior Brittany Dixson finished second in the women’s long jump and the women’s triple jump.  Her jumps included 19-feet in the long jump and a leap of 40-feet, 3-1/4 inches in the triple jump. 

Jerrine Foster and Katherine Forrester both place in the women’s shot put with 47-feet, 9-inch, and 44-feet, 6 1-4 inch throws respectively.

Forrester also place fourth in the discus with her career best throw of  135-feet, 9-inches.Thompson hopes to utilize his standout this weekend when host the Murray Neely Invitational at Irwin Belk Track.

He believes this effort will aid them for the conference championships and East regionals.

“I’m looking forward to a great season because playing at home will help us compete even better, and it gives us an opportunity to show people how our athletes stack up against some of the best athletes in the conference and in the country,” Thompson said. 

• Daniel Henderson