WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University track & field program competed in the Hokie Invitational on Friday and Saturday hosted by Virginia Tech. Matthew Payamps broke the school record in the 1000-meter event breaking a 44-year-old school record. 
 
ON THE RECORD
"Highlight for the women saw Melissa Riggins opening up her season with a good run in the 1000m. Freshman Jadah Fitzgerald had a great weekend, with personal bests in the 60m & 300m and a strong lead off leg on our 4x4. In the field Chloe Williams and Eni Akinniyi had strong efforts in the long jump and triple jump respectively, which should provide fuel for big performances in the coming weeks. For the men's field events, I was pleased to see Chris Pitt get an Indoor personal best in the long jump of 7.07m. On the track, enough cannot be said about Matt Payamps, who has now fully cemented himself in Hoya history, taking down another long standing school record.; a record which stood for 44 years. He is a huge talent and I'm extremely excited to see what's to come for Matt for the rest of this season. 

Another big weekend coming up in Boston where we will look to build on the performances at the Hokie Invitational." - Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Alton McKenzie
 
RECAPPING THE WOMEN

• In the Mile, Andrea Claeson finished fourth with a time of 4:43.91.
• In the 1000m event, Melissa Riggins clocked a 2:43.15 which was good for third place.
• Hoya teammate Grace Jensen finished just behind her in seventh with a time of 2:46.32.
• Maya Drayton led three Hoyas that finished in the top ten of the women's 300m.
• Drayton had a personal best time of 39.34 which was good for sixth, Jadah Fitzgerald finished seventh with a time of 39.61 and Rebecca Ochan placed ninth with a time of 40.38.
• The 4x400 relay team of Jadah Fitzgerald, Maya Drayton, KC Ashiogwu and Grace Smiechowski finished fifth with a time of 3:47.58 which is a season best.

 
 
RECAPPING THE MEN

• Matthew Payamps broke a school record Friday evening in the 1000m with a time of 2:20.41 which breaks James DeRienzo's 44-year-old record of 2:20.69.
• Payamps record was good for first place in the event and Hoya teammate Matthew Rizzo finished just behind Payamps in third with a time of 2:21.17.
• In the long jump, Christopher Pitt placed ninth and recorded a personal best jump of 7.07m.
• Tim McInerney grabbed a fifth-place finish in the 600m with a time of 1:20.67 and Hoya teammate Joshua Peron finished seventh with a time of 1:20.92.
• Aaron Lindey finished fourth in the 300m event with a personal best time of 35.27.
• In the 200m event, Kadari Mitchell finished in third after clocking a time of 21.87.
• The 4x400 relay team of Jabril El-Amin, Josh Perron, Sean Hewitt and Aaron Lindsey finished in fifth place with a time of 3:19.33 which is a season best.
• At the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships, Luke Ondracek finished 29th out of 68 runners with a time of 25:29.0.

 
 
UP NEXT
The Blue & Gray will be back in action next weekend at split sites in Boston, Massachusetts for the Riverhawk Invitational and the Terrier Classic. Both events are on Friday, January 27 and Saturday, January 28.