Liberty University
Texas Relays
Liberty’s 39.65 Effort Takes Down Long-Standing 4 x 100 Program Record
3/25/2022 7:51:28 PM | Track and Field
Running together on Liberty’s 4 x 100 relay squad for the first time on Friday, Brandon Letts, Diamantae Griffin, Christian Lyon and Donald McClinton clocked 39.65, breaking the program record that had stood for 26 years. Their record-breaking performance headlined the Flames’ day at the Texas Relays inside Mike A. Myers Stadium.
On May 18, 1996, Liberty’s quartet of Pete McFadden, Jacob Swinton, Carlton McDuffie and John Marriott won the IC4A men’s 4 x 100 relay in 39.86, propelling the Flames to an improbable team championship. That legendary performance stood as the Flames’ program record until Friday morning.
Letts, Griffin, Lyon and McClinton’s record-setting 39.65 effort placed fifth in a heat that included defending national champion LSU and 12th overall in the men’s 4 x 100 relay prelims. It currently ranks No. 17 nationally and will almost certainly send Liberty’s men’s 4 x 100 squad to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet for the first time in program history.
Liberty also made some ASUN Conference history on Friday, eclipsing the ASUN all-time record of 39.68 set by ETSU on March 31, 2007.
Later on, both Lyon (10.39) and Letts (10.46) ran solid wind-legal times during the men’s 100 prelims. Letts’ effort ranks No. 6 all-time for the Flames.
The Lady Flames’ top showing of the day came in the women’s 4 x 100 prelims, where Abby Pantlitz, Janai Scott, Isis Brooks and Ayanna Johnson posted a season-best and ASUN-leading time of 46.37 for 20th place.
Kevin Nedrick was the Flames’ top field event competitor on the day. He took third in Section B of the men’s shot put at 58-4 and came in 11th in Section A of the men’s discus with a mark of 172-9.
Up Next
Liberty athletes will be divided between three different meets on Saturday, including the Texas Relays, Bobcat Invitational and Dr. Jack M. Toms Alumni Invitational.
