[su_spacer size=”20″] Georgia true freshman Keturah Orji bested her own school record and moved into the No. 1 spot nationally in her second event to highlight the Georgia Invitational at the Spec Towns Track in Athens, Ga., on Saturday.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In addition to Orji’s win, the Bulldogs teams captured 12 more victories during the final regular season meet of the year.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “Today was a typical home Georgia meet in Athens, Georgia,” said Bulldog head coach Wayne Norton.  “The weather was good, the meet performances were good and whatever events we competed in, we did pretty well.  There were some spirited competitions and I was most impressed with our quality of marks.
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[su_spacer size=”20″] “Chanice Porter in the high jump was one of our top highlights.  This is the end of her third year and she competed in the high jump for the first time and left with a nationally competitive mark.  Kendell (Williams) did well in the hurdles considering the circumstances and then Kendell and Keturah were outstanding in the long jump.  (Jamario) Calhoun also had a decent breakthrough in the long jump after three years here.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “Another thing that has been impressive to me about this team is that every time we have gone out on a mission to do well at a meet, we have done it.  We are in good shape now and are getting better.  We are looking forward to (Southeastern Conference Championships), but we are more looking at that meet as a stepping stone to what we want to accomplish at NCAAs at the end of the year.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] Orji lined up in the women’s long jump and did not disappoint.  The NCAA leader in the triple jump was the top collegiate finisher (third overall) in the long jump after traveling a personal-best and school record mark of 21 feet, 9 inches.  This jump, which is tied for the national lead on this year’s descending list, topped her own school record of 21-8.75 set earlier this season at the Spec Towns Invitational in Athens.
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[su_spacer size=”20″] The Georgia women now sit 1-4-5 on the national list in the long jump after sophomore Kendell Williams finished one spot behind Orji.  Williams, who is training for the heptathlon, improved in her series to a mark of 21-2.50 on her fifth effort to take over the No. 7 spot in the school record books.  This vaulted her to fourth on the latest national performance list.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Similar to Williams, senior Garrett Scantling is also training for the postseason in the multi-events (decathlon).  On Saturday, Scantling cleared an outdoor personal best of 16-6.75 on his third and last try to take third in the pole vault.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Usually taking off on the long jump runway, junior Chanice Porter competed for the first time collegiately in the high jump and cruised to the victory.  Porter completed a second attempt clearance at 6-0.50, which gives her the sixth-best mark in school history and moves her into a tie for 11th on the current national list.  Porter stands fifth nationally in the long jump.
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[su_spacer size=”20″] Also in the high jump, 2015 NCAA indoors competitor Tatiana Gusin made her season debut with a third attempt clearance at 5-9.25 to finish third overall (second collegiate finisher).
[su_spacer size=”40″] Junior Freya Jones left the Spec Towns Track with a season-best javelin mark of 168-5 to move from No. 13 to No. 12 on the current national list.  Jones finished second overall and was the top collegiate finisher as she attempts to earn her third consecutive First Team All-America certificate.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In the men’s long jump, junior Jamario Calhoun took off for the seventh-best effort in school history to win.  Calhoun reached a career-best distance of 25-6.25 on his fifth attempt, which shot him to eighth on the national performance list and third in the SEC.  Calhoun, who also ran on a relay, returned in the 200 and finished fourth overall (second collegiate finisher) after crossing the finish line in 21.07.
[su_spacer size=”40″] A pair of collegiate competitors finished ahead of junior Kisean Smith in the 800-meter run, but the Bulldog middle-distance runner ran a time necessary to put him in better shape for the NCAA East Prelims.  Smith ran the eighth-fastest time in UGA history with a 1:49.11, which placed him 33rd on the current NCAA East performance list (48 competitors advance to the East Prelims on May 28-30 in Jacksonville, Fla.).
[su_spacer size=”40″] Another season best came from senior Drew Branch in the 400 hurdles.  The Alpharetta, Ga., native was just .07 seconds off his personal best as he clocked a 50.48 to win the event and move into the nation’s top 20.
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[su_spacer size=”20″] The Georgia men cruised to win and take second in the men’s hammer behind sophomore Alex Poursanidis.  Poursanidis, who leads the SEC and is fourth nationally, built up to a fourth throw of 222-3 to win the event.  Fellow sophomore Alex Larsson launched a personal-best toss of 215-5 on his sixth and final attempt to finish second.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The Lady Bulldogs also went 1-2 in the hammer to complete the sweep.  Junior Shelby Ashe hit a top mark of 196-1 on her third attempt and won the event despite a series featuring four fouls.  Sophomore Asianna Covington earned runner-up honors with a mark of 188-2.
[su_spacer size=”40″] A pair of Bulldog throwers finished as the top two collegiate finishers in the men’s shot put.  Junior Ashinia Miller watched his last effort go 63-9.50 to be second overall.  Four inches behind Miller was senior Nick Vena.  Vena tossed his second try 63-5.50 to be third overall and second out of the collegiate competitors.
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[su_spacer size=”20″] Junior Braydon Anderson continued the success for the Bulldog throwers after being the top collegiate finisher in the men’s javelin.  Anderson launched his fourth throw of 206-9 to be second overall behind former Bulldog and 2010 and 2011 SEC champion Brian Moore (211-8).
[su_spacer size=”40″] One of the seniors who was recognized during the meet, Burke McCarty, completed his UGA home career with a season-best effort of 170-4 for third-place honors in the discus.  McCarty led a 3-4-5 finish in the event as Nick Vena (166-8) and Ashinia Miller (163-8) took the next two stops.
[su_spacer size=”40″] On the women’s side, Asianna Covington had a season-best throw of 160-5 to take second in the discus.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Kendell Williams started her day on the track and dropped her season best to 13.28 to be the top collegiate finisher and second overall in the 100 hurdles.  Her training partner and roommate senior Quintunya Chapman took fourth with a 13.66.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Junior Brooke Koblitz completed the women’s 1500 with a career-best mark of 4:31.14 to pick up a one-second victory.  Not far behind Koblitz was freshman Anna Gandolfo, who took third with a personal record of 4:35.47.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Calhoun, Reggie Glover, Ayrian Evans and Jon Okoye came in just behind their season-best time in the 4×100 relay to win.  The Bulldog quartet completed their lap in 40.32 to finish just behind the team’s 40.26 clocked at this year’s Spec Towns meet.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Junior Ashley Henry ran her second 200 of the year and was the top collegiate finisher (third overall) thanks to a mark of 24.19.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Runner-up honors in the women’s shot put went to freshman Anna Machovec.  Surrounded by fouls, Machovec’s fifth throw measured 43-11.75 on her fifth throw.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Also, Lady Bulldog freshman Devon Artis posted her third consecutive personal best with a 54.83 to take fifth in the 400.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia returns to action at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Starkville, Miss., starting on Thursday and running through Saturday (May 14-16).