By: by Scott Lipsky
MACON, Ga. - Sophomore sprinter Victoria Jackson was recognized for her top-notch effort at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational in Gainesville, Fla. on Wednesday, as she was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Women’s Runner of the Week.
The sophomore from College Park, Ga., set the school record in the 200 Meter Dash for the second straight week, finishing in eighth place with a time of 25.56 seconds. The prior week, she set the KSU record for the 200 Meters at the Niswonger Invitational in Johnson City, Tenn., running that race in a time of 25.26 seconds. The two records are unique to one another because the track where the Niswonger Invitational was held at East Tennessee State University is 280 meters long, while the one at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, home of the Jimmy Carnes Invitational, is just 200 meters long. The KSU record book distinguishes records between tracks that are 200 meters and those that are longer.
“I was definitely able to tell the difference between two different-sized tracks. This week, we were turning a lot more, since it was a full lap around the track, whereas at East Tennessee State it was more of a straight run,” said Jackson, who did not compete during the 2009 indoor track season due to injury. ““It feels really good to be able to have such an impact on the track during my first season of indoor competition. It’s going to be fun to see how much more I can improve as the season goes on.”
The two 200 Meter Dash records that Jackson holds are two of the four school records that she has set during the last two meets. In Gainesville, she joined LaKeshia Stinson, Shelby Hines and Decoshia Boswell as the second leg of the record-setting 4x400 Meter Relay team, with the quartet running the race in a time of 3:58.56. She also set the 60 Meter Dash record at the Niswonger Invitational with a time of 7.86 seconds.
Victoria is the second Owl to win a track and field Athlete of the Week award this season. Michelle Quimby won the award on December 5 after setting a school record in the Pole Vault.
Jackson and her teammates have one more meet, the UNC Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C., on February 12, before they return to East Tennessee State for the A-Sun Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held February 26-27.
