Alcide Leads SEC Heptathlon

BATON ROUGE, La. - Looking to defend her title from a year ago, Makeba Alcide is in first place after day one of the Heptathlon at the 2012 Southeastern Conference Championships at Bernie Moore Track Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Razorback junior finished the day with 3,455 points, just three points off the career-best pace she set at the conference meet last season.

"She competed very well today and stayed poised," associate head coach Rolando Greene said. "She ran a solid hurdle race, had a season best in the High Jump, was right under her best in the Shot Put and ran a PR in the 200 metres. She let the door unfold and never panicked. She has a very strong second day so she is in great position going into day two. Overall, she's competed exceedingly well and is performing like an upperclassman should."

Alcide began her day in the 100-metre Hurdles with a time of 14.07, good for 968 points. She moved into second place overall with a win in the High Jump. The Razorback junior turned in a season-best result of 1.73m/5-9.25 and added 928 points to her total.

In the Shot Put, her best throw of the competition came in the first round of attempts. Alcide had a best mark of 12.24m/40-2 to finish second in that event. In the final event of the day, she took over first place in the overall standings with a personal-best effort at 200 metres. With a late charge down the final stretch, she crossed in a time of 25.05 to add 882 points to her final day-one total.

Day two of the Heptathlon begins Friday at 2:15 p.m. The final three events of the seven-event competition are the Long Jump, Javelin Throw and 800 metres. In her last outing, Alcide had a personal best in the 800m with her time of 2:17.10 at Drake Relays.

Story by Zach Lawson, Athletic Media Relations, Photo by Robert Black