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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The word "elite" didn't just find itself in the name of the meet Friday – the Don Kirby Elite Invitational – the Portland State track & field team also put it on display behind several seasonal bests and personal bests, including a pair of seasonal bests for Senior Genna Settle in the 60 and 200 meters.
 
Settle retook the lead in the 200 meters for a moment at the Albuquerque Convention Center Friday, as her time of 24.27 seconds (before conversion) beat Northern Arizona's Jasmine Malone's current Big Sky-leading time of 24.61 seconds by more than three-tenths of a second. Northern Colorado's Moriah Zachary surpassed Settle with a time of 24.16 seconds in the following section of the 200, but Settle's time still represented a seasonal best by three-tenths of a second.

Settle's time in the 200 also represents her best indoor 200-meter time since 2015, when she broke 24 seconds for the first time – indoor or outdoor – and earned her first individual All-Big Sky honor with a third-place finish in the 200 at the 2015 Big Sky Indoor Championships.
 
Settle also advanced to the semifinals of the 60 meters Friday behind another seasonal best finish. Settle placed second in her heat and tied for fourth overall with her time of 7.55 seconds in the 60 meters, the third straight meet at which she has set a new seasonal best in the event.
 
Settle will run in the semifinals of the 60 meters at 11:05 a.m. (MT) Saturday, and could run in the finals at 2:10 p.m. (MT) later in the day should she advance.
 
Fellow senior Akayla Anderson matched Settle by advancing to the semifinals of the 60-meter hurdles, which she did while winning her heat with a time of 8.62 seconds. Anderson beat three runners from fellow Big Sky-schools Northern Colorado and Southern Utah in winning her heat, and beat six other Big Sky runners in total while placing sixth overall. The only runners Anderson didn't beat overall were two unattached runners and three athletes out of Pac-12 schools.
 
Anderson, who still holds the top non-converted 60-meter-hurdle time in the Big Sky this season, will now run in the semifinals at 10:45 a.m. (MT) Saturday. The finals of the 60-meter hurdles will take place at 12:30 p.m. (MT) later in the day should Anderson advance.
 
Senior Mitchell Gable didn't have a chance to advance to a semifinal Friday, but still put in an elite performance while winning his section of the 200 meters behind a huge personal best in the event. Gable won his section of the 200 in 22.03 seconds, more than three-tenths of a second better than the personal best of 22.35 he set last week at the Idaho Duals.
 
Additionally, Gable's time moves him up from eighth to third all-time at Portland State in the indoor 200 meters. Gable has now moved into the top three in the indoor 200 and 400 meters in a span of seven days, after his time of 48.73 seconds in the 400 at the Idaho Duals last Friday moved him up to second all-time in the event at Portland State.
 
Freshman Nia Powdrell also set a new indoor personal best on the women's side of the 200 meters Friday behind her finish in 24.91 seconds. Powdrell's time beat the personal best of 25.53 she set a week ago at the Idaho Duals, and did so by more than six-tenths of a second.
 
Powdrell's time also placed the freshman in the top five of the Big Sky in the 200 meters this season, as her time Friday would rank her fourth in the conference this season before altitude conversion.
 
Powdrell led the Vikings in the long jump as well Friday, as she matched the indoor personal best she set at the Idaho Duals last Friday with her mark of 18-06.00 (5.64m). Senior Brandi Williams also competed in the long jump Friday, and beat the seasonal best she set a week ago by a quarter of an inch with her mark of 18-00.50 (5.50m).
 
The Vikings continue at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational Saturday, with Anderson opening events with the semifinals of the 60-meter hurdles at 10:45 a.m. (MT). Senior Ben Richardson will also compete in the 800 meters at the Husky Classic Saturday, with his race starting at 11:55 a.m. (PT).
 
Don Kirby Elite Invitational
Albuquerque, N.M.
Albuquerque Convention Center
Feb. 10, 2017
 
Women's Results:
60m (Qualifying): T-4. Genna Settle, 7.55. 200m: 16. Genna Settle, 24.27; 43. Nia Powdrell, 24.91; 68. Rachel Vinjamuri, 25.38. 60m Hurdles (Qualifying): 6. Akayla Anderson, 8.62. Long Jump: 20. Nia Powdrell, 18-06.00 (5.64m); 30. Brandi Williams, 18-00.50 (5.50m); Ta'mara Richey, FOUL.
 
Men's Results:
200m: 31. Mitchell Gable, 22.03.