Two records were broken at the annual EIU Early bird meet, as junior Dhiaa Dean and a newcomer to the team Nyjah Lane each broke previous Eastern records Friday inside the Lantz Fieldhouse for the women’s track and field team.

Dean broke the record in the 600-meter dash, with a time of 1:32.94 seconds, beating the old time of 1:34.28. Lane broke the record in the 60-meter dash, with a time of 7.53 seconds, beating the previous record of 7.58 set in 2005.

For the Eastern men’s track and field team, junior Calvin Edwards finished first in the 200-meter dash, crossing the finish line with a time of 21.66 seconds. Norvel Mohammed and Ephraim Dorsey each finished first in their 400-meter and 600-meter events, respectively.

Mohammed participates in the 200, 400 and sometimes the 60-meter events. He said he has to spend countless hours preparing for every meet.

“A lot of gym work,” he said. “I’ve been in the gym for about two hours most days and that really benefits me. My goal is to place top three in nationals and win nationals.”

Mohammed ran the 400-meter dash and had a time of 48.91 seconds, while Dorsey ran the 600-meter run with a time of 1:20.82 seconds.

In the field events, junior Angelica Anyaogu won first place in the long jump with a distance of 18-feet, 1.75 inches and senior Aviance King led the male competitors in the high jump with a score of 6-feet, 8.25 inches.

Anyaogu along with freshman Darneisha Spann and Haleigh Knapp, placed second in their 60-meter hurdles and high jump events, respectively. Senior Katie Ryan also placed second in the women’s pentathlon event.

Edwards came in a close second in the 60-meter dash for the Panthers and sophomore Kendall Williams also finished second in the long jump. Williams also participated in the triple jump, where he placed third.

Junior Annemarie Reid placed third in women’s pole vault with a score of 12-feet, 5.5 inches. Senior Sadie Lovett placed fifth, with at 11-feet, 7.75 inches. Junior Eric Gordon also placed fifth for the men with a pole vault of 14-feet, 7.25 inches.

Senior David Johansson had the best weight throw for the Eastern men, which earned the senior a third place finish. Junior Janie Howse placed fourth in the weight throw and sixth in the shot put, with throws of 54-feet, 4.75 inches and 41-feet, 1.75 inches, respectively.

The Eastern men’s and women’s team are both off for almost six weeks now until their next meet, which is the Illinois Intercollegiate on Jan. 17, in Champaign-Urbana.

Mark Shanahan can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].