SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Benedict College men's track & field team opened their outdoor schedule at the Savannah State Tiger Relays over the weekend with some impressive performances.
 
The sprinters were led by Jesaiah Jones, who won the 400-meter dash with a season best time of 49.51. Devonta Newbold finished fifth with a time of 50.71, while Malcom Carter Jr. finished seventh with a season best time of 50.81.
 
Jones also helped Benedict win the men's 4x400-meter relay, joining Shemar Hylton, Devonta Newbold and Lirante Jackson with a season best time of 3:17.58.
 
Jackson finished fourth overall in the 100-meter dash with a personal best time of 10.93.
 
Benedict's other relay teams dominated the competition. The 4x800-meter relay team of Thomas Heilman, Newbold, Carter Jr., and Hylton won with a season best time of 9:16.50. The sprint medley relay team of Josiah Atkins, Jesaiah Jones, Philip Jackson, and Hylton won that event with a school record time of 1:42.06. And the distance medley relay team of Ryusei Takahashi, Hylton, Newbold and Nelson Kipkemboi won with a time of 11:03.66.
 
Chase Ransom led the throwers, finishing second in the discus with 40.90 meters (134 feet, 2 inches); second in the shot put with 13.75 meters (45 feet, 1 ½ inches); and fifth in the hammer throw with 31.75 meters (104 feet, 2 inches).
 
Caleb Vance finished second in the hammer throw with a personal best of 43.18 meters (141 feet, 8 inches). He also finished eighth in the shot put with a mark of 11.56 meters (37 feet, 11 ¼ inches).
 
Gabriel Jenkins finished sixth in the hammer throw with a 29.85 meters (97 feet, 11 inches), and 10^th in the shot put with 11.06 meters (36 feet, 3 ½ inches).
 
Justin Young finished fifth in the javelin with a personal best throw of 42.17 meters (138 feet, 4 inches).
 
Shun Taylor finished second in the triple jump with a jump of 13.59 meters (44 feet, 7 inches). He also finished third in the long jump with a jump of 6.54 meters (21 feet, 5 inches).
 
Corey Witter finished sixth in the long jump with a jump of 6.14 meters (20 feet, 1 inch). He also finished 10th in the javelin throw with a throw of 37.47 meters (122 feet, 11 inches).
 
Kevin Francis led the hurdlers with a fifth-place finish in the 110-meter high hurdles with a season best time of 16.22.
 
The distance team swept the 5000-meter run, led by Kipkemboi, who won the event with season best time of 17:03. Thomas Heilman finished second and ran a season best time of 17:46.85, while Ryusei Takahashi finished third with a time of 17:55.35. Japheth Kipruto finished fourth with a time of 18:29.89.
 
4x100-meter relay team of Josiah Atkins, Kevin Francis, Shun Taylor and Lirante Jackson finished third with a time of 42.77.
 
Benedict will travel to Myrtle Beach this weekend to compete in the Spring Break Meet.