'Lopes Pick Up Provisional Marks in Mesa

Friday, April 5

Mesa, AZ

Grand Canyon

Mesa Classic

Petra Fanty

4/6/2013 2:31:00 AM | Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

The Grand Canyon University men's and women's track and field teams completed the first of their two meets this weekend, competing today in Mesa, Ariz., at the Mesa Classic hosted by Mesa Community College.

Petra Fanty won the women's 400-meter dash event with a provisional time of 54.11 seconds, just .11 seconds off the automatic qualifying mark, the second-fastest time in the country.

Ramon Cooper posted the top-time in the men's 400-meter hurdles at 52.47 seconds, a provisional qualifier and the fifth-best time in the nation.

The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Mikio Bain, Oliver Smith, Josh Ralston, and Stephan Bullard won the event with a provisional time of 3:13.13, the ninth-fastest in the country. GCU also owns the fifth-fastest mark in the relay.

Bullard and Smith posted provisional times in the men's 400-meter dash with marks of 47.85 and 47.88 seconds to finish second and third, respectively. Bullard's time stands as the 10^th fastest in the country.

Vanessa Levy picked up another provisional mark in the women's discus throw at 50.13 meters, the second-best among Division II athletes.

Other top-five finishes at today's meet include: Sharles Simon in the men's 5000-meter run (first), Megan Rivera in the women's 5000-meter run (second), women's 4x400-meter relay (first), Lilian Martinez in the women's 400-meter hurdles (second), Amanda Sims in the women's 400-meter hurdles (third), Kipkorir Mutai in the men's 5000-meter run (fourth), men's 4x400-meter relay (fourth), Jermaine Murray in the men's long jump (fouth), Cooper in the men's high jump (fifth), and Nyomi Mosley in the women's shot put (fifth).

GCU will be in action tomorrow at the Don Kirby Tailwind Invitational hosted by the University of New Mexico in Albquerque. Fans can follow the action via live stats by visiting www.gculopes.com.