GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Dolphins were jumping for glory this weekend at the Legends of Alachua County meet, led by junior Ma'Kala Davis.

Davis, competing for the first time in over a year due to an injury suffered last season, grabbed a first-place finish in the triple jump. Her jump of 12.20m paced the field by almost a full .5 meters. But the former 2024 ASUN Indoor Champion wasn't done there.

In the long jump – competing against teammate Julia Sue-Kam-Ling who represented JU and the ASUN in the NCAA National Championships – Davis took home first place yet again behind a jump of 5.89m. Sue-Kam-Ling to her credit took home fifth in the long jump herself with a distance of 5.52m.

It was the first meet as a Dolphin where Davis took home multiple first place finishes. 

Davis wasn't the only Dolphin jumping well in Gainesville, as fellow jumper Sanaa Geter was right behind Davis in both events. Competing in the long jump, Geter took home second place with a jump of 5.85. In the triple jump, Geter secured third with a distance of 11.71m. Geter's long jump distance set a new career best for the sophomore.

Eva Bellot also placed well as a jumper, taking home eighth in the high jump with a final jump of 1.51m. Bellot finished in eighth place. 

It wasn't just the jumpers dotting the podiums in Gainesville, however.

A pair of 'Phins, Savannah Chadic and Kemaj Moore, each placed in the 400m dash with Chadic securing the top spot. Chadic ran a 55.83 to earn first place with Moore right behind, finishing with a time of 57.09. Just outside of third place was McKayla Francis with a time of 57.60.

Sprinters Mariandree Chacon and Chadic dazzled in the 200m dash, led by Chacon's fourth place finish. The former Guatemalan Olympian earned a time of 24.55. Chadic raced a 24.84. Chacon also earned a new personal best in the 400 with a time of 1:00.31.

Joy Whittington kept the energy and placements high with her fourth-place finish in the 60m hurdles. Whittington earned a time of 8.89.

Jacksonville rounded out the sprinting weekend with, unsurprisingly, a first-place finish in the 4x400 relay. The group was blazing fast, earned a time of 3:46.18 which was a full four seconds ahead of the second-place team.

In terms of distance running, Jacksonville was still showing well led by Madeline Weiler's 10^th place finish in the mile. Weiler raced a time of 5:13.20. Jordan Dix and Isabel DeVos finished 12^th and 13^th respectively. Weiler's and Dix's times were both new personal bests.

Josephine Leonard finished in sixth place in the 600m, finishing with a time of 1:43.77. 

Jacksonville next travels back to Gainesville Feb. 6-7 for the Celebration Pointe Classic.

COACH'S COMMENTS
"The team had a great weekend in Gainesville," head coach Diego Vela said. "The ladies are getting better and learning valued lessons from their competition. It's exciting to see the improvement of the sprinters, jumpers and the distance group. The program is moving in the right direction."