Politixia
WALNUT, Calif. – The women’s 4x400m team ran a season best time to highlight the Texas A&M men’s and women’s track & field teams on the fourth and final day of the Mt. SAC Relays at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium on Saturday.
The quartet got off to a hot start as Kennedy Wade and Tierra Robinson-Jones combined to clock 1:44.07 through the halfway point, trailing a team of professionals. Robinson-Jones handed the baton to Sanu Jallow, who passed off to Jermaisha Arnold after a 51.60 split. Arnold anchored the Aggies with a split of 50.13, the fastest of the day, leading to a runner-up finish, topping the collegiate teams in the field. The team’s time of 3:25.79 is a season best, the No. 8 time in school history, the fastest time in the SEC and the second-fastest in the NCAA this year.
The men’s 4x400m team finished second, also clocking a season best time with a mark of 3:03.30. Ashton Schwartzman and Auhmad Robinson brought the Aggies through the 800m in second place at 1:31.88. Omajuwa Etiwe stormed to a split of 45.85 on the third leg before handing the baton off to DeMarco Escobar. Escobar held the Aggies in second place with a split of 45.58, holding off a late surge by Arkansas to claim second place by three-hundredths of a second.
In the women’s 400m, Arnold and Robinson-Jones entered with the No. 3 and No. 4 times in the world, respectively. By the end of the race, the duo showed their dominance with a 1-2 finish, as Arnold clocked 50.79 and Robinson-Jones crossed in 51.01. Arnold’s time is her second fastest time ever, behind her 50.71 at the Florida Relays, while Robinson-Jones’ mark is her third-fastest ever.
In the women’s high jump, three-time NCAA champion Lamara Distin made her outdoor season debut with a second-place finish at 6-4/1.93m, finishing runner-up to Nike athlete Vashti Cunningham. Distin has not lost to a collegiate athlete in over a year. Her mark equals the seventh-best performance in school history, a list where she holds nine of the top 10 performances.
The men’s 4x100m squad of Ryan Martin, DeVante Mount, Isaiah Teer and Jordan Chopane established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, finishing in a season best time of 39.29 to place third overall. Their mark was the second-fastest collegiate time of the day and makes the No. 5 team in the SEC this year.
Martin kept the speed going into the open 100m, finishing as the top collegian in a personal best time of 10.18. The mark makes him the No. 11 performer in Texas A&M history and ranks him sixth in the SEC this year.
Connor Schulman finished fifth in the 110m hurdles, registering an all-conditions personal best time of 13.54 (w/2.2). Schulman’s time improves upon his wind legal mark of 13.59 at the Florida Relays that made him the No. 4 performer in Texas A&M history.
On the women’s side of the high hurdles, Jaiya Covington equaled her personal best in the 100m hurdles, clocking 13.13 to remain No. 12 in school history and the top freshman in the nation in the event.
Camryn Dickson registered a personal best in the 200m with a mark of 23.12. Prior to the meet, Dickson’s personal best was 23.20, which she had run three times in her life. Dickson’s mark makes her the fifth-best freshman in the nation.
To end the day, Cooper Cawthra and Gavin Hoffpauir competed in the 1500m at the Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azuza Pacific University. Cawthra led the duo with his time of 3:44.67, while Hoffpauir clocked 3:47.21. Cawthra’s mark is his second-best time ever, behind his 3:43.63 that ranks No. 2 all-time at Texas A&M.
Next Up
The Texas A&M men’s and women’s track & field teams travel east to compete at the LSU Alumni Gold meet in Baton Rouge on April 22.
To follow along with the Aggies, fans can follow the live results provided by Finished Results.
To learn more about Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country, log on to 12thMan.com and follow @aggietfxc.
