Penguins’ Hamilton finishes ninth in 5,000 meters at Penn Relays

Staff report

PHILADELPHIA

Youngstown State senior distance runner Samantha Hamilton turned in the Penguins’ top performance Thursday on the first day of the Penn Relays.

Hamilton competed in the women’s 5,000 meter championship race ran her second-fastest time ever in the event with a time of 16:34.46 to finish in ninth place.

Hamilton has the YSU women’s outdoor record for the 5,000 meter race (16:34.44 in 2012).

Jumpers Chenera Lacy and Mackenzie Sturtz, both freshmen, also performed well.

Lacy and Sturtz, have been having impressive freshman campaigns all year for the Penguins and both had their highest jumps for the outdoor season Thursday.

The competition was close for the women’s high jump as Lacy and Sturtz and with eight other women jumped 1.68 meters (5-6).

But with fewer missed attempts than Sturtz, Chenera was able to pull away and tie Alisha Beeman of UMBC and Shanice Hall of LSU for 10th place. Sturtz finished 13th.

The meet will continue Friday as the running events and field events start at 9 a.m.

The 120th Penn Relays run through Saturday at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania.

More than 22,000 athletes that will be competing in the meet throughout the weekend.