BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | The Grambling State track & field team opened the indoor portion of its schedule with a solid performance, posting several top performances and personal records at the Samford Open on Saturday afternoon. 
 
GSU's women's 4x400 team of Amari Wrightsil, Shatara Johnson, Kayla Ford and Deasia Washington highlighted the day, earning first place with a time 3:55.53, outpacing Jackson State and Alcorn State who came in second and third. 
 
Wightsil also grabbed second place in the women's 200m with a PR of 24.90. 
 
Dakari Betts was strong in the men's 60m hurdles, claiming second place and sprinting to a personal record of 8.08 seconds, just behind Alabama's Denver Cash who ran an 8.04. It was Betts first appearance in the event since 2023. 
 
The Tigers got a Top 8 finishes in multiple events as well. 
 
Kyla Blockett competed in the 60m dash, coming in fourth with a time of 7.73. In the women's 400m, Kayla Ford clinched seventh place (57.98). 
 
In the men's high jump, the trio of Nick Bailey, Jahorous Turner and Marcus Kennedy notched top 5 finishes. Bailey came in third (1.99m) while Turner and Kennedy tied for fifth with leaps of 1.94m. 
 
Bethany Peoples earned eighth place in the women's high jump with a height of 1.50m. 
 
Daylece Newsome claimed eighth in the women's long jump with a distance of 5.27m. 
 
UP NEXT
Grambling State returns to the track on Feb. 7 at the Blazer Invitational and Feb. 8 in the Vulcan Invitational host by the University of Alabama-Birmingham at the Birmingham Crossplex. 
 
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