Huge breakthrough 400 race for Pennsville graduate Arianna Smith today at Penn State.
Smith placed 2nd in the 400 at the Skyes and Sabock Invitational at Penn State’s Ashenfelter Track in 55.84, not only an indoor PR for the Princeton sophomore but a lifetime best as well.
Her time is No. 7 in Princeton history indoors.
Smith’s previous fastest 400 was a 56.55 earlier this month in a dual meet against Navy at Halsey Fieldhouse in Annapolis. She only ran the intermediates in her one season of spring track at Princeton, so her outdoor PR remains a 56.68 from the 2019 state Group 1 meet at Franklin High. Her high school indoor PR was 57.79 from the 2019 Meet of Champions at the Bubble.
At Penn State, Smith placed second to Skyla Wilson of Penn, who ran 54.58. Wilson was the Ivy League 500 champ last winter and like Smith is a 400IH specialist.
Wilson and Smith now rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the Ivy League so far this year.
Smith was undefeated in two 400IH races last spring for Princeton. Her PR remains a 1:00.13 when she won the 2019 Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington in Mansfield Township.
Smith also anchored Princeton’s 1,600-meter relay team, which placed 3rd behind Penn and Akron with a season-best 3:46.93.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 