Oxford played host to the Ole Miss Classic starting on Friday and going through the weekend. Eleven total schools participated (Ole Miss, Alabama A&M, Belmont, Christian Brothers, Cincinnati, Harding, Jacksonville State, Memphis, Mississippi College, Mississippi Valley and North Alabama).
Star hammer-thrower Shey Taiwo made her first home appearance in around a year after returning to the lineup last week at Auburn. The former SEC champion was granted an extra medical red-shirt season for her injury, and is approaching the circuit with vengeance.
She competed in two events on Friday: discus and hammer. She placed 10th in the discus throw with a distance of 39.76. Her specialty event was stronger as she came in second place only to fellow Rebel Jalani Davis (who tossed 67.82 meters) by hawking her hammer 67.69 meters.
The return to competition for Taiwo is one of the better Ole Miss athletics stories of the year. Last week, Taiwo got first place in her NCAA return with a throw of 66.71 meters which started the wheels turning on a great comeback story not just in Oxford, but in track and field in general.
Jaiden Paris was the star of the day for Ole Miss as she finished first in both her events. Her time of 11.67 took the top spot in the women’s 100 Meter Dash with teammate Jerricka Ambus in second place to secure the sweep.
Paris also won the 100-meter hurdles with a blazing time of 11.79. Paris has competed in the 100-meter hurdles twice this season (last week at the Tiger Classic) and came in first both times.
She started the year competing in the 60-meter and 60-meter hurdles, but has found much more success moving her distance up.
The Rebels took first in a number of events:
- As previously mentioned, Paris took her laurels twice (women’s 100-meter, women’s 100-meter hurdles).
- Ahmad Young won the men’s 110-meter hurdles.
- Ariyonna Augustine took first place in the women’s 200-meter.
- Gabrielle Matthews was the winner of the women’s 400-meter hurdles.
- Chase Rose won the men’s 800-meter.
- Frances Luna outlasted the competition to win the women’s 1500-meter.
- Davis tossed the hammer furthest to take the women’s competition. She also would win the shot put.
- Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan matched Davis by winning the men’s shot put and hammer competitions.
- Arvesta Troupe took first in the men’s high jump.
- Women’s 4×100 relay took first place.
Ole Miss will fly out to Texas for a short week as the Texas Relays start on Wednesday, March 29 and continue through Saturday, April 1.
