Indoor Track Update 10

Photo: Alyssa Robinson, Amanda Ngandu-Ntumba & Cynthia Leduc

Feb. 20, 2021

Cynthia Leduc is back-to-back 60-meter French champ

Above: Cynthia Leduc

Last season Cynthia Leduc won the 60 meters at the French Indoor Championships with a time of 7.29. This year she topped that time, in Miramas, France, finishing in first yet again at 7.24, which is a personal record.

Leduc, who just turned 24, Feb. 16, currently has the 42nd fastest time in the world as she sits in a four-way tie with Pia Skrzyszowska of Poland, American sprinter Shawnti Jackson and Germany's Alexandra Burghardt.

Below: Nasrane Bacar

Nasrane Bacar (7.41), 29, placed second behind Leduc, just in front of third place finisher Eloise De La Taille (7.42). Bacar was the 60 meters indoor champ in 2019, when she won at 7.39. De La Taille, 21, was a gold medal winner in the European Under-18 Championships in the medley relay back in 2016.

Below: Eloise De La Taille

Amanda Ngandu-Ntumba takes French shot put crown

Above: Amanda Ngandu-Ntumba

Amanda Ngandu-Ntumba threw 16.24 to win the shot put at the French Indoor Championships. The 20-year-old thrower also claimed the championship last year at the outdoor national meet last September. Her throw at this year's indoor meet is the best of her career.

Twenty-eight-year-old Caroline Metayer placed second at 15.55. She was a previous national champion at the 2019 outdoor meet, when she threw 16.47.

Above: Antoinette Nana Djimou

The most experienced veteran in the seven thrower field was Antoinette Nana Djimou. At 35, she placed third with a throw of 14.53. In the past she has won four indoor national championships in the pentathlon. She's also won the outdoor heptathlon on a national level three times as well as the long jump once. Her first indoor national crown came in 2005. Nana Djimou's most recent national championship came in 2019 when she won her first French title in the heptathlon since 2010.

Indiana's Robinson gets first open 60 meters victory

Above: Alyssa Robinson

Sophomore Alyssa Robinson was a winner in the 60-meter dash at the 2021 Big Ten Open, held in Bloomington Indiana. The Indiana sprinter's time of 7.49 bested fellow sophomore Kerris Roberts of Purdue and her teammate junior Camille Christopher who finished the race at 7.53 and 7.61 respectively.

Above: Kerris Roberts

The win was Robinson's first ever collegiate victory in the 60 meters. She currently ranks seventh in the Big Ten after her win. Roberts ranks fifth in the conference. She ran 7.47 on Feb. 12 at the Hawkeye Big Ten Invitational.

Va Tech's Jarrett takes 200 meters at home meet

Above: Makhia Jarrett

Freshman Makhia Jarrett earned her second victory at the Virginia Tech Challenge in the 200-meter dash when she finished at 24.39. It was her second best time in the 200, behind a 24.33 finish last weekend at the Tiger Paw Invite. Virginia Commonwealth freshman, Lauryn Taylor was second in the field of 12 sprinters.

Below: Rorie Spencer

She ran a season best time of 24.91. Her teammate sophomore Rorie Spencer was third at 25.71.

Big East champ Anderson continues winning ways in 2021

Above: Leah Anderson

Last season St. John's Leah Anderson dominated at the Big East Indoor Championships. She took wins in the 200 and 400 meters as well as the 1,600-meter relay. Anderson was the meet's most valuable athlete.

She lined up in the 400-meter dash for the first time this season at the Virginia Tech Challenge. The senior won the 400 at 55.18 before taking another win in the 1,600-meter relay with her foursome at 3:52.34.

Above: Leah Anderson, Brianna Burkley, Skyy Diop and Avon Samuels

In the 400, Anderson beat a field of 12 sprinters which included runner-up Shanelle Colmon of Connecticut who crossed the finish line at 55.48. Anderson teamed with Avon Samuels, Skyy Diop and Brianna Burkley to beat VCU's A and B squads as well as Pitt in the 1,600-meter relay.