Johnson leads women's track with multiple lifetime bests

LOGAN, Utah – Danielle Figgins Johnson led the women’s track team Saturday at the Utah State Invitational with two third-place finishes and two lifetime bests, despite cold, rainy weather conditions.

“Given the fact Danielle was able to run lifetime bests in two races with the weather as cold and rainy as it was, it says a lot about her physical ability,” assistant coach Corey Murdock said. “The weather affected everyone, but we were still able to come away with some pretty good marks.”

Johnson’s lifetime bests came in the 100- and 200-meter races. In the 100, she finished with a time of 12.37, and in the 200, she finished with a time of 24.54.

Johnson also competed in the 4x100-meter relay team along with Kassie Jensen, Arlene Gowar and Brie Simmons. The team finished first with a time of 46.92.

Other solid performances came from Angela Shields in the 400-meter hurdles, Simmons in the 100-meter hurdles, Kensey Berry in the triple jump, and Brittany Critchfield in the discus.

Shields finished first in the 400m hurdles with a solid time of 1:01.23.

“Before the race, Shields told me it was going to be hard to finish with a good time in her race because of the weather,” Murdock said. “I simple told her to go for the win then, and that is what she did. Her time wasn’t what she wanted, but she came away with the win.”

In the 100m hurdles, Simmons finished second with a time of 14.70. In the triple jump, Berry also finished second with a mark of 11.30 meters. In the discus, Critchfield finished second with a mark of 42.70m.

Full results from the Utah State Invitational can be found here.

The Cougars return home to Provo next weekend for the annual BYU Robison Invitational at Clarence F. Robison Track and Field Complex.