LA JOLLA, Calif. — The University of New Mexico track & field team posted a number of strong results on Saturday as a small group of student-athletes competed at the Triton Invitational hosted by UC San Diego.
With the postseason just over a month away, a dozen Lobos earned some solid progress and improvement as they continued their 2018 outdoor campaign at the Triton Track & Field Stadium in La Jolla.
As they look toward the rest of the season, the Lobos that travelled to California were eyeing that key improvement gained from weekly competition.
And, for a handful of athletes, they were able to post improvements and climb up the NCAA rankings in their primary events.
Right after the conference meet, the top 48 athletes in each event in the NCAA’s West Region advance to the NCAA West Preliminary Championship. From there, athletes can qualify to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
On the women’s side, multiple Lobos registered solid progress.
Ada’ora Chigbo won the women’s high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 8 ¾ inches that ranks seventh all-time in program history.
Kyra Mohns also logged strong marks in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles, equalling her personal record of 14.51 seconds in the 100 hurdles and running a season best of 1:01.15 in the 400 hurdles. She placed fourth overall in the 400 hurdles and 12th in the 100 hurdles.
Additionally, Steffi Jones placed ninth in the 800 with a personal-record time of 2:12.90, while the duo of Emily Martin (4:31.42) and Kendall Kelly (PR of 3:45.81) placed third and ninth, respectively, in the 1500.
On the men’s side, Carlos Salcido finished runner up in both the 200 (21.25) and the 400 (47.09), while Isaac Gonzales took seventh in the 200 (21.88) and ninth in the 400 (48.82).
Mark Haywood also placed fifth in the 400 (48.43).
Elsewhere, Jay Griffin IV clocked a seventh-place time of 10.77 in the 100, followed by Alejandro Goldston (ninth, 10.85).
Beau Clafton, Goldston, Salcido and Griffin also teamed up to run a second-place time of 40.71 in the 4×100 meter relay.
The Lobos return to action next week as they travel to the Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific on Thursday-Friday, April 19-20.
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