Lauderdale Leads PCC Women To Set Strong Marks At SoCal Track and Field Prelims
Ireja Lauderdale set the fastest time in the 100 meters as she led a host of Pasadena City College women's track and field competitiors at the Southern California Prelims meet held May 2 at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium.
Ireja Lauderdale set the fastest time in the 100 meters as she led a host of Pasadena City College women's track and field competitiors at the Southern California Prelims meet held May 2 at Bakersfield College's Memorial Stadium.
Lauderdale established the state's fourth fastest time and she has the best of any SoCal sprinter with an explosive 11.84 seconds. Lauderdale beat her previous best of 12.01 and she qualifies as the leader going into the SoCal Championships this Saturday, May 9 also at Bakersfield.
The 5-foot-7 Lauderdale was the anchor on the 4x100 relay with Kezia Gavlak, Destiny Rayburn and Jariah Martin as they qualified at a fifth place mark of 47.95 (.01 behind their season-best).
Gavlak is tied as the No. 2 seed with a season-best 38 feet, 2.75 inch leap in the triple jump. Rayburn also qualified with a fifth-best 37-9.5. Gavlak's mark is fifth in the state as the South Coast Conference champion hopes to medal at the SoCal Finals. She has the second longest jump in PCC women's track and field history with Essence Wyatt's 39-5 in 2007 the school record.
Three Lancers qualified in the long jump as SCC champ Rayburn was fifth at 18-0.5, Gavlak seventh at 17-9.5 and Quiana Laughlin eighth with a leap of 17-9. Laughlin still has the eighth longest leap this season of 18-5.25.
PCC is directed by head coach Innocent Egbunike.