WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Harding University senior Katy Grant and junior Rysper Sirma both posted event victories at the Mule Relays, hosted Friday at the University of Central Missouri. It was the first indoor track and field meet of 2010 for the Lady Bisons.
Grant, a native of Mustang, Okla., defeated 28 other runners to win the mile in 5 minutes, 21.40 seconds. It was Grant’s first career indoor track victory. Teammates Courtney Ralston (6:20.83) and Laura Willis (6:27.51) also competed in the mile.
Sirma, who hails from Burnt Forest, Kenya, won the 800 meters in 2:26.27, finishing ahead of 17 other runners. It was the first time Sirma has raced in the indoor 800 meters and was her second career indoor victory. She also won the mile at Arkansas State in 2008. Harding’s Rachel Conley placed ninth in the race in 2:33.77.
Harding’s other entry in the running events was sophomore Callie McAlister, who had a personal best time of 1:02.39 to place seventh in the 400 meters.
The Lady Bisons had two top-10 finishes and set a new school record in the field events. Freshman Tiffany Chambers placed third in the pole vault and shattered her own school record in the process. Chambers vaulted 10 feet, 2 inches, improving on the old record of 9-3 by nearly a foot.
Sophomore Dia Gibson placed seventh of 21 athletes in the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 3 inches. Freshman Rhiannon Roper was 21st in the shot put with a throw of 32 feet, 8.50 inches, and freshman Stephanie Zibulsky was 31st with a throw of 29 feet, 8.25 inches.
The Harding men compete in the Mule Relays on Saturday.