COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The University of New Mexico’s track & field team claimed a pair of conference honors Tuesday as Calli Thackery and Allan Hamilton earned recognition from the Mountain West for their performances for meets held April 14-16.
Thackery was selected as the Mountain West Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, while Hamilton earned MW Men’s Field Athlete of the Week. It’s the third total weekly MW award for Thackery in her career, and the fourth total for Hamilton.
The tandem posted a pair of nationally relevant marks last weekend as the Lobos competed at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif. Consequently, both have put themselves firmly in contention to compete at the NCAA West Preliminary Championship in May.
Thackery, a junior from Yorkshire, England, raced to a time of 4 minute, 14.99 seconds in the 1,500-meter run. A three-time All-American between cross country and track, she won the entire event at the Bryan Clay Invite, topping 192 other runners.
Her time, which set a new personal record, ranks second in New Mexico history and fourth all-time in Mountain West history. Only Josephine Moultrie (4:14.44) has run faster at UNM.
Thackery also leads the Mountain West and ranks second in the NCAA and 22nd in the world in 2016.
Hamilton, a senior out of Edinburgh, Scotland, leaped 25 feet, 10 ¼ inches (7.88 meters) in the long jump at the Bryan Clay Invite. That mark was the best by a collegian at the meet and finished second overall.
A personal record by 2 ½ inches, Hamilton’s mark also ranks fourth in school history and second in MW history. He also leads the league by nearly 18 inches in 2016, and ranks sixth in the NCAA and 26th in the world this year.
The duo combined for the first set of MW athlete-of-the-week honors that New Mexico has received outdoors in 2016. Indoors, the Lobos claimed three such honors, with Hamilton earning field athlete of the week on January 26.
New Mexico is back in action this week as it compete at the Brutus Hamilton Challenge on Saturday in Berkeley, Calif.