Even in the best of weather conditions, winning a track & field event is no easy task. But notching three first place finishes while battling wind and steady rain – not to mention the competition – is nothing short of special. Chico State's Kayla Lawson did just that Saturday at the Wildcat Invitational, taking top honors in the 100-meter dash and contributing to 'Cats' victories in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays. Lawson's multiple track triumphs make her the latest Wildcat of the Week.
Lawson started the day with authority by finishing first in the 100-meter dash, stopping the clock at 12.22 seconds. But it was her mark of 12.08 in the preliminaries that put Lawson in the Chico State record books with the ninth-fasted time in the event in Wildcat history.
Lawson followed her solo victory by teaming with Marina Berrios, Lyndsey Settle and Ruby Davis to finish first in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 49.52 seconds. She wrapped up her productive afternoon with yet another first place performance, combining with Olivia Abbott, Olivia Watt and Jenavieve Turner to win the 4x400-meter relay, timing out at 4:07.18.
Lawson and the Chico State women's track & field team will be back in action this Saturday, traveling to the state capital to compete in the Sacramento State-hosted Hornet Invitational.
