SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA throwers and distance runners combined to win three events and register 11 podium finishes on the opening day of the UTSA Invitational, which got underway on Friday at Park West Athletics Complex.
The UTSA women won a pair of events and posted a total of seven top-three finishes, while the men added a third victory and four overall podium showings on the first day of action in the outdoor season opener.
Sigrid Kleive took home top honors in the women's javelin with a throw of 44.29 meters (145-3) to score the first gold of the meet for the Roadrunners. The Norwegian, who stands as UTSA's No. 2 all-time performer in the event with a 45.72m measurement from last season, recorded her best mark on her first attempt of the evening and she also topped 44 meters with a toss of 44.14m (144-9) on her fourth try.
Sophomore teammate and UTSA record holder Marilis Remmel collected the bronze medal in the javelin with a throw of 40.88m (134-1). A native of Estonia who set the school standard at 47.65m last April, she was sitting in fourth place in the competition before hurling the implement to her top distance on her sixth and final throw.
On the track, the Roadrunners swept top honors in the 5,000 meters in the two final events of the night.
Brooke Veltman stopped the clock with a time of 19:30.11 to cross first in the women's 5k, and the San Antonio native was followed closely by runner-up Savana Alt, who finished in 19:36.06. Lily Morrill placed third with a 19:36.52 clocking and Sidney Bravo was fourth in 19:52.24.
In the men's 5,000m, Harrison Wade crossed second overall behind an unattached competitor with a time of 15:34.97 to pace a group of Roadrunners that filled in the next seven places. Idol Ramon was second in 15:34.97 with Jake Smith in third (15:47.70), Gabe Hernandez in fourth (16:04.20), Joshua Gonzalez in fifth (16:13.67), Landon Blankenship in sixth (16:18.16) and Adan Hernandez in seventh (16:42.68).
Earlier in the day, a pair of UTSA women posted third-place performances in the throws.
Acacia Astwood placed third in the hammer throw with a mark of 55.98m (183-8). She unleashed her best toss of the day on her second attempt and the measurement moved the Bahamas native into second place on the program's all-time performers list, just shy of her collegiate career best of 56.74m (186-2) posted at the 2021 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Championships when she was competing for UNLV.
Lacee Barnes claimed third in the shot put with heave of 14.85m (48-8.75). The Cayman Islands native registered her top mark of the competition on her first appearance in the ring, making her UTSA's No. 5 all-time performer in the event. It ranks one centimeter short of her overall PB in the shot put of 14.86m (48-9) recorded in a bronze-medal performance at the Conference USA Indoor last month.
Meanwhile, Jorge Ayala and Angel Robles turned in career showings to log a pair of top-six finishes each in the throws for the men. Ayala took third place in the shot put with a personal-best mark of 16.56m (54-4) with Robles right behind him in fourth with a 15.62m (51-3) effort. Earlier in the day, Robles grabbed fifth in the hammer with a career-long throw of 46.01m (150-11), while Ayala was sixth with a PB toss of 44.51m (146-0).
Saturday's action is slated to start with field events at 11 a.m. including the women's discus competition that will feature 2020 Olympic gold medalist and American record holder Valarie Allman. Running events will get underway at 2 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
UTSA Results
Men
5,000 Meters
2. (1.) Harrison Wade 15:23.96
3. (2.) Idol Ramon 15:34.97
4. (3.) Jake Smith 15:47.70
5. (4.) Gabe Hernandez 16:04.20
6. (5.) Joshua Gonzalez 16:13.67
7. (6.) Landon Blankenship 16:18.16
8. (7.) Adan Hernandez 16:42.68
Shot Put
3. Jorge Ayala 16.56m (54-4)
4. Angel Robles 15.62m (51-3)
10. Jack Turner 13.43m (44-0.75)
Hammer Throw
5. Angel Robles 46.01m (150-11)
6. Jorge Ayala 44.51m (146-0)
Javelin
8. Joel McFarlane 50.38m (165-3)
10. Justin Wright 45.70m (149-11)
Women
5,000 Meters
1. Brooke Veltman 19:30.11
2. Savana Alt 19:36.06
3. Lily Morrill 19:36.52
4. Sidney Bravo 19:52.24
Shot Put
3. Lacee Barnes 14.85m (48-8.75)
8. Zoe Shanklin 13.95m (45-9.25)
Hammer Throw
3. Acacia Astwood 55.98m (183-8)
Javelin
1. Sigrid Kleive 44.29m (145-3)
3. Marilis Remmel 40.88m (134-1)
17. Maren Wilms 29.95m (98-3)
-UTSA-
