WALNUT, Calif. – It was a strong start Friday for the UTSA track & field teams in opening competition at Hilmer Lodge Stadium for the 66th Annual Mt. SAC Relays. The Roadrunners turned in four medal-worthy performances, including event victories for Martín Kouyoumdjian and Selma Ims.
The Santiago, Chile junior, Kouyoumdjian just missed breaking into the UTSA 400-meter all-time top five performances and was .03 seconds from the Chilean National Record with an event-winning 45.95 clocking. His new time moves him up to fourth in the American Conference standings. Sophomore AJ Breault finished 20th in the event with a time of 48.10. On the women’s side, senior Fatoumata Kabo ran a 53.59 to finish sixth.
Later in the afternoon, Sandnes, Norway sophomore Selma Ims rose to second in the American 400-meter hurdles rankings with a season-best 57.34 clocking that won the event. Elsewhere in the hurdles, sophomore Charlie Staddon was 15th in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 54.54, while rookies Sunniva Indahl (14.20) and Mya Robinson (14.27) were 15th and 17th in the 100-meter hurdles.
Topping the field event performers for the Roadrunners on Friday, Zufikon, Switzerland freshman Cyrill Kernbach reached the silver-medal distance of 7.56m (24-9.75) on his second attempt at the long jump. Freshman Ryan Heeren finished 19th at 6.82m (22- 4.5). On the women’s side, Golnik, Slovenia sophomore Brina Likar earned fourth place on a 6.11m (20-0.5) second attempt, while sophomore transfer Nyariek Kur was ninth on a measurement of 5.93m (19-5.5). Closing out the evening’s events, Kur finished sixth in the triple jump at 12.65m (41-6) while freshman John Williams III was ninth in the men’s triple with a season-best 15.02m (49-3.5).
Making her second meet of the week, grad transfer Daisy Monie earned seventh place in the discus with a measurement of 49.72m (163-1), while Waylon McKenzie finished 17th in the men’s event at 44.94m (147-5).
Leading all distance runners, Abilene, Texas junior Victor Charo cashed in a career-best 1:50.46 clocking in the 800-meter, winning the event with the third-fastest time in the American and the fifth-best time in UTSA history. Sophomore Gabe Tubbs also registered a career time of 1:51.81 for fourth place, while freshman Israel Cuellar was sixth in 1:52.98 and sophomore Cortlin Salge ran 1:57.80 for 10th. Also repping the UTSA distance corps, freshman David Zuniga ran a season-best 3:56.21 in the 1,500-meter, while classmates Ethan Carranza (3:58.87) was 11th and Austin Lyda (3:59.93) was 13th. In the women’s 1500m, freshman Madison Gilliam earned 10th place in 4:47.35.
On Saturday, the Roadrunners return to Mt. SAC opening with the 110-meter hurdles at 3:55 p.m. CT (1:55 p.m. PT) and 4x400m elite relay at 7:10 p.m. CT on the track, an 11 a.m. CT (9 a.m. PT) hammer throw, followed by shot put at 3:30 p.m. CT, alongside long jump elite, high jump elite and triple jump elite at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Up next: Following a week out of action, the Roadrunners will seal up the regular season with a return to E.B. Cushing Stadium and College Station for Texas A&M’s Alumni Muster, May 1-2. The postseason opens in Denton, Texas, with the American Conference Outdoor Championships to be held at the Mean Green Track & Field Stadium, May 14-16.
- UTSA -