The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
C-USA Championships
UAB's Johns Repeats As 10,000-Meter Winner At C-USA Championships
5/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
May 13, 2011
HOUSTON ----- UAB junior Rhiannon Johns won her second straight 10,000-meter title Friday at the 2011 Conference USA Championships.
In repeating the league outdoor crown she won a year ago, Johns won the event Friday by more than a minute over her closest competitor. Johns finished with a time of 35:06.23, a second better than her winning 2010 time and well ahead of this year's runner-up, Kathya Garcia of UTEP (36:06.71).
UAB senior Stephanie Gammon finished eighth in the 10,000 at 38:29.20.
The Blazers also got a third-place showing Friday in the heptathlon from sophomore Akira McSwain. McSwain's best showing of the three events contested came in the 800-meter run as she earned 793 points with her 2:22.26 effort, a personal best. She also had a PR in the long jump (5.71m).
She finished the two-day competition with a career-best 5,051 points, just short of second-place Lisa Egarter of SMU who had 5,057 points. Marshall's Elaine Derricott was the heptathlon winner with 5,139 points.
"UAB track had a very good day," said head coach Kurt Thomas. "Anytime you put two girls on the podium (top 3) in one day, it's a good day. Akira had a great long jump and 800m and just competed like a champion. She fell short of winning overall but gave it everything and ended with a lifetime-best point total.
"Coach Tony Houchin and Rhi had a great race plan, and Rhi went out and executed perfectly and won another 10k championship. Stephanie ran a tough race and scored a crucial point for us. I'm proud of the way these three competed today."
UAB is currently in third place in the team standings with 17 points. UTEP is the early leader with 28 points, while East Carolina has 22.
