LSU’s Alia Armstrong, Brianna Lyston turn in sizzling performances at Razorback Invitational

LSU hurdler Alia Armstrong remained perfect this indoor season, and Brianna Lyston equaled a school mark, to highlight the performances of both the men’s and women’s track teams at the Razorback Invitational at the Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Armstrong, a native of New Orleans, won both her preliminary heat and finals race in the 60 hurdles with a time of 7.97. In both races Armstrong edged teammate Leah Phillips who ran 8.06 in the final.

Lyston had the fastest qualifying time of 7.14 seconds in her season debut in the 60. The native of Jamaica followed that up in the final with a winning time of 7.07 to match Aleia Hobbs’ school record. The mark was also No. 1 in the nation this season, No. 3 in the world and No. 4 on the all-time collegiate list.

Hobbs, competing in the open 60-meter race, claimed the event with a No. 2 time in the world of 7.05 seconds.

LSU’s men had a pair of second place finishes with Myles Thomas in the 60 (6.63) and John Mayer in the shot put (65-3 ¼).

The Tigers 4×400 relay team of Dillon Bedell-Bass, Sean Burrell, Salim Epps, and Shakeem McKay won their heat and came back to finish third behind Florida and Arkansas with a time of 3 minutes, 2.77 seconds – the seventh fastest time in the nation. Jahiem Stern, a transfer from Hampton, clocked a 7.74 second in the 60 for the ninth best time in school history.

Lorena Rangel-Batres also produced a school record in the women’s mile with a time of 4:37.84, eclipsing her own best of 4:40.66 which was third best in school history. She was seventh in the women’s invitational mile race, followed in ninth by Michaela Rose (4:38.64). Ella Chestnut ran the school’s third fastest in the women’s 3000 invitational (9:23.97), while Ella Onojuvwevwo turned in the No. 7 time in school history in the 400 (52.53) and placed seventh in the race.

The LSU women’s 4×400 relay, which was sixth overall, had a time of 3:31.26 to rank sixth best in the nation. The team is comprised of Onojuvwevwo, Rose, Shani’a Bellamy, and Garriel White.