The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER taking the past three years off to recuperate from a shoulder surgery, national women’s discus record holder Serena Brown made her return to the field for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes’ track team on Saturday.

Competing at the Big Ten Invite #1 at the Billy Hayes Track & Field Complex in Bloomington, Indiana, Brown had to settle for second place in her speciality in the women’s discus with a toss of 187-feet, 6-inches or 57.15 metres, the third best on Iowa’s all-time list.

Team-mate Laulauga Tausaga, who doubled up in the shut put, won with her heave of 199-6 (60.81m).

She also took the shot put with 55-9 (16.99m).

Brown did not participate in the shot where she has a best of 47-6 1/4 (14.17m) from 2018 at the UCLA Invitational.

Iowa’s head coach Joey Woody lauded both Tausaga and Brown for their performance, as he did their male counter-parts, noting that the two female competitors had “big opening marks.”

Brown, a 2016 graduate of St Augustine’s College, who previously competed for Texas A&M, said her performance was the best series she has ever produced in her collegiate career.

“Very consistent, continually building and responsive to cues given to me (by throwers’ coach Eric Werskey),” she told The Tribune. “I actually didn’t have any expectations for today’s competition.

“I wanted to make sure it was happening this time because last year it didn’t (because of the coronavirus pandemic, which cancelled their outdoor season). It feels good to be back though. After three years, it almost feels surreal.”

Brown is expected to be back in action next weekend in Florida where she hopes that the consistency and execution is once again perfected.

“Continually fine tuning and learning something new about myself every time,” she said of the remainder of the season. “I believe that (the performance on Saturday) will set me up for the post season to do some great things.”

One of her goals is to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The other is to represent the Bahamas at the postponed 2020 Olympic Games in July-August in Tokyo, Japan.

Her national record in the event stands at 60.39, posted the last year she competed for Texas A&M in 2018 on March 31 for the Texas Relays. The 22-year-old business major is the daughter of Whittington and Sonjia Brown.

Coakley sixth in Florida

At the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational at the Cobb Stadium University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida on Saturday as well, University of Miami redshirt senior sprinter/hurdler Xavier Coakley competed in the men’s 200m.

Coakley, a graduate of St Augustine’s College as well and formerly with Auburn University, finished sixth in the half-lap race in 22.43. Alexander Gray, freshman at Warner, won in 20.94.

Coakley, the son of Kateriann and Anton Williams, also ran the third leg on Miami’s 4 x 100m relay team that finished second in 40.79. The other members on the team were seniors Raheem Chambers and Asa Burke and freshman Ramy Berberena.

Arkansas-Little Rock won in 40.66 with the team of four freshmen Cogan Derousselle, Caleb Chevis, Andre Dibbles and Cameron Jackson.