Howard’s Diana Effiom Wins Gold
GREENSBORO, N.C. (May 7, 2021) – Howard University junior thrower Diana Effiom (Dallas) displayed a championship performance on Day Two of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Championships, earning a gold medal in the hammer throw.
Effiom took down the favorites from North Carolina A&T State Loren James and Jasmine Jenkins by shattering the school record (50.45 meters; 165’5”), the previous four-year mark was held by Rikkia McGill (2017; 48.98 meters).
Sophomores Erin Hatcher (Burtonsville, Md.) and Symone Marsh (Hillsborough, N.J.) also competed in the hammer throw where they both set new personal best with 48.08 meters (157’7”) and 44.01 meters (144’4”), respectively.
Other notable field performance included junior Ja’Tae Joyner (Bowie, Md.) earning the silver medal in the long jump, leaping nearly 19 feet (5.76 meters).
In the 800-meter prelims, senior Destiny Stanford (Woolwhich Township, N.J.) punched her ticket to Saturday’s final with an automatic qualifying (AQ) time of 2:11.12 (personal best). Teammates Melanie White (Orlando, Fla.) and Dasia Wilson (Philadelphia) also advanced with non-AQ marks of 2:13.56 and 2:15.53, respectively.
After earning a spot in the 200-meter final, senior sprinter Jessika Gbai (Philadelphia) clinched an entry into the 100-meter dash final with a non-AQ time of 11.59.
Other notable Bison reaching Championship Saturday include senior Ozioma Scott (Georgetown, Guyana) making the 400-meter dash final (55.13) and newcomer Kaya-Rae Dunbar (Burtonsville, Md.) solidifying a spot in the 100-meter hurdles (13.78).
After scoring no points on Day One, Howard sits tied for fourth in the standings with 24 points. Effiom led the Bison with 10 points from her win in the hammer, followed by Joyner with eight points in the long jump.
To view all the results from Day Two of the MEAC Outdoor Championships, please click here.
Director of Track & Field David Oliver and the Bison conclude the weekend with Championship Saturday at the MEAC Outdoor Championships in Greensboro, N.C. on the campus of North Carolina A&T State.
Bison Nation can follow Saturday’s action via live results at http://live.halfmiletiming.com/meets/319/events.
Fans can catch Championship Saturday action LIVE on FloTrack (PPV), starting at noon.
Courtesy of Howard University Athletics
