New Mexico Track & Field wrapped up a busy day of competition at the Bryan Clay Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays with 11 more personal bests and six All-Time Top 10 marks on Saturday, highlighted by a new NCAA record performance from Habtom Samuel in the 5,000m.
Samuel threw down a devastating kick with a 1:58 clocking over the last two laps as he blew away the fastest field of the night in Azusa, finishing in 13:03.47 to beat his own NCAA Outdoor 5K record and reassert his status as the favorite to win both the 5K and 10K at NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
The next two fastest finishers, Oklahoma State’s Deni Kipngetich (13:13.43) and BYU’s Tayvon Kitchen (13:16.27) were well out of sight when Samuel crossed the finish line. The fastest 5K in the nation heading into this weekend’s competition was 13:19.73 from Oregon’s Simeon Birnbaum.
The Lobos conclude their weekend of competition in California tomorrow at the Beach Invitational (Long Beach, Calif.), the Bryan Clay Invitational (Azusa, Calif.) and the Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.), with live results available via GoLobos.com/TrackResults.
BRYAN CLAY INVITATIONAL
Men’s 5,000m Run - Invite 1
1. Habtom Samuel - 13:03.47*
12. Iker Sanchez Lopez - 13:29.11^
18. Evans Kiplagat - 13:36.31
* Personal Best; NCAA Record; UNM and MWC Record; Facility and Bryan Clay Invite Record
^ Personal Best; No. 4 UNM Outdoor List
Behind Samuel’s record-breaking performance, Iker Sanchez Lopez finished 12th with a new lifetime best that ranks fourth among outdoor performances all-time – his second PB in as many races after opening with a 13:31.88 at Stanford. Evans Kiplagat finished within a second of his own previous best as he also secured an NCAA Regional Qualifying time with a 13:36.61 clocking to finish 18th.
Women’s 5,000m Run - Invite 1
3. Pamela Kosgei - 15:03.09
9. Marion Jepngetich - 15:19.93*
* Personal Best; No. 2 UNM Outdoor List
Kosgei secured her qualification for NCAA West Region Prelims with a third-place finish against the nation’s best behind another collegiate record run from BYU’s Jane Hedengren (14:50.50) and professional athlete Lexi Halladay-Lowry (14:58.83) – all three finished below the previous meet record.
Behind her, Marion Jepngetich moved up to No. 2 on the UNM Outdoor List behind Kosgei with a new personal best of 15:19.93 that will also assure her advancement to NCAA Regionals.
Men’s 5,000m Run - Invite 2
4. Vincent Chirchir - 13:31.75*
28. Thomas Termote - 14:01.48
* Personal Best; No. 7 UNM Outdoor List
Women’s 5,000m Run - Invite 2
16. Mercy Kirarei - 15:55.23
Women’s 5,000m Run - Invite 3
9. Jasmine Wood - 16:02.40
10. Christina Nisoli - 16:03.66
Womens High Jump
2. Ajia Hughes - 1.79m / 5' 10½"
* Season Best; No. 6 UNM Outdoor List
Hughes improved on her 1.78m (5' 10") season-opening mark in her specialty event with a 1.79m clearance – good for second place overall. That mark moves her into sole possession of the No. 6 spot on the UNM Outdoor List.
Womens Triple Jump - Open
3. Hannah Vincent - 12.05m / 39' 6½"*
* Personal Best
Vincent added a centimeter to her previous best as she leaped 12.05m to finish third in her flight at Bryan Clay – it’s her second improvement in a row after jumping 11.72m in her outdoor opener in Albuquerque and 12.04m last weekend.
Womens Triple Jump - Invite
4. Ajia Hughes - 12.78m / 41' 11¼"*
10. Mikyla Harkley - 12.22m / 40' 1¼"
* Personal Best; No. 5 UNM Outdoor List
After a season-best performance in the high jump, Ajia Hughes came up with a new lifetime best in the triple jump with a 12.78m jump that moves her into a tie for No. 5 on the UNM Outdoor List, with Mikyla Harkley notching a 12.22m mark to finish 10th behind her.
Mens 800 Run - Open A
33. Rhys Crawford - 1:50.92*
* Personal Best
Crawford posted a new lifetime best in the Open A sections of the 800m, crossing in 1:50.92 to finish 33rd overall. It’s his second lifetime PB in a row after running 1:51.42 at the Mike Fanelli Classic two weeks ago.
Womens 800 Run - Open A
84. Charlotte O'Meara - 2:13.98
Women’s 800 Run - Invite
39. Kylie Feeney - 2:06.15*
* Personal Best; No. 6 UNM Outdoor List
Feeney ran the fastest 800m race of her career – indoors or outdoors – as she moved into the UNM Outdoor Top 10 with a 2:06.15 time that leads the Mountain West Conference so far this season. Her previous best was a 2:08.76 performance at MW Indoor Championships in February.
Men’s Triple Jump
6. Cameron Miller - 14.59m / 47' 10½"
Women’s 5,000m Run - Open A
15. Millie McClelland-Brooks - 16:35.16
24. Anya Belisle - 16:40.49*
30. Isabelle Bloker - 16:42.98
51. Rilyn Stevens - 16:55.76^
74. Mia Torrecillas - 17:10.78*
* Personal Best
^ Outdoor Debut
In the first open section of the Women’s 5K, Millie McClelland-Brooks led the way with a 16:35.16 time to finish 15th and Anya Belisle (16:40.49) and Mia Torrecillas (17:01.78) both ran new lifetime best, with Rilyn Stevens clocking 16:55.76 in her first outdoor race.
Men’s 5,000m Run
16. Dylan Maloney - 14:01.06*
* Personal Best
After running a 14:08.77 in his first collegiate 5,000m race on the oval at the Stanford Invitational, Maloney flirted with breaking the 14-minute mark with another improvement as he crossed in 14:01.06 to finish 16th.
MT. SAC RELAYS
Women’s 4x100m Relay
3. Sofia Pineda, Taniya Looney, Adryana Shelby, Laylah Lawson - 44.91*
* Season Best; UNM Program Record
After running the then-No. 2 time in program history at the 44 Farms Invitational last weekend, the Lobos ran it back with the same four-woman contingent Saturday and came up with a new program record, combining for a 44.91 time that puts them just outside of qualifying position for NCAA West Region Preliminaries (Top 24).