MOREHEAD, Ky. —
Laikin Tarlton ran an indoor personal best and the second-fastest 5000-meter time in the Ohio Valley Conference this season when the Morehead State track and field senior won the Youngstown State University Collegiate Invitational presented by Southwoods Health on Friday.
Tarlton covered the course at the Watson and Tressell Training Site on the campus of Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, in 18:00.39, winning the 13-person race by a whopping 49.48 seconds.
Her mark also was the fastest by an Eagle woman since Caitlin Cunningham (17:43.97) and Gloria Corona-Luna (17:57.55) both went under 18 minutes at the 2019 OVC Championships. Tarlton's outdoor "pr" is 17:59.50, which she set at last spring's OVC Track & Field Championships. Her previous indoor best was a 18:19.05 at the 2021 Kentucky Collegiate Indoor Invitational.
"My goal for the race this weekend was to get out at 'pr' pace and just try to hold on to that. I was alone from the start, so (during) the race (I) was just trying to push myself and stay engaged without anyone else," Tarlton said. "I was within a second of my 'pr', so I am happy with that for my first 5K of the year. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do in a more competitive race!"
"Laikin ran solo the entire race, so mentally she had to push herself the entire time," head coach
Clay Dixon said. "She came out with a solid time; we think she has more in the tank if we had all conditions perfect."
Tarlton was not the only Eagle standout in the event. Freshman
Taylor Allen finished second in 18:49.87 and sophomore Abby Talor was fifth in 19:23.07. It was a "pr" for both runners.
"Taylor and Abby had solid races as well. Taylor moved into second place about a mile in and just kept widening the gap on third," Dixon said. "Abby worked her way through the mid pack and was right on that three-four-five position for the majority of the race."
In the men's 5,000m, redshirt junior
Jacob Vogelpohl was fifth in a personal-best 15:06.33, with fifth-year runner
Kyle Embry in sixth in 15:07.96 and senior
Peyton Fairchild in 14th in 15:55.07.
"Kyle and Jacob ran great races. I was pleased with their 5K openers. For January 19th, that is a good position to be in," Dixon said. "Peyton had a solid pack to work with, but just didn't have as great a day today."
MSU also had strong performances in the 800-meter runs.
Junior
Lucy Singleton finished second in the women's race, crossing the line in 2:18.08. Duquesne's Olivia Wilson won in 2:17.35. A total of 47 runners competed in the event.
"Lucy looked strong and relaxed. After a few weeks with more 800 and mile-specific workouts, I think she will continue to progress," Dixon said.
In the Eagles' final event, senior
Toby Cook led the team by placing fourth in a 51-person field with a time of 1:56.31. It was his indoor "pr."
"My heat was crowded and with the smaller straight(away)s of the indoor track I knew, I had to get out quick," Cook said. "I led from the gun and held off any moves from people trying to pass. Thanks be to God for giving me the strength to finish."
Freshman
Armando Montes also competed in the event and finished 17th in 1:59.59. It was his first collegiate 800m.
"Toby went after it today and had a great 800m opener. He led from the gun and held off anyone who came after him. Armando was caught behind a big pack of about five (or) six people, and in indoor (races) that's about the worst position to be in," Dixon said. "He probably could have run a second or two faster, if he was in a better position in the field."
Dixon thought it was another strong meet for the team.
"Today was successful. (Our) goals were to get some early season 5K marks down and see what shape (the runners) were in, and for the 800m runners to get that baseline 800m down and to (move forward with) our training from there," he said.
Morehead State will be off for two weeks before returning for the PNC Bellarmine Invitational on Friday, Feb. 2 in Louisville.
