DENTON, Texas – The UTSA track & field teams opened competition on Thursday at the American Conference Outdoor Championships. Graduate student Lauralyn Clifford rose to the occasion, putting the first points on the board for the women’s squad via a stellar record-setting performance in the hammer throw at Norma Knobel Hunt Stadium.
The first field event on the schedule, Clifford (Toronto, Ontario transfer from Coastal Carolina) quickly rose to the occasion after coming into the week ranked second. She topped the field on the first throw with a 60.72m (199-2) mark, while recording two additional marks that exceeded her career best in the series. Holding off the field for her first American Conference Championships title, Clifford broke her own UTSA record and surpassed her own Saint Lucia National Record for the fourth time this season. Junior Nyaluet Diew also registered a new career mark to finish 11th in the hammer, hitting 51.75m (169-9) on her first throw. In the men’s hammer, sophomore Ryan Stillman finished ninth on a career-best 53.69m (176-1) measurement.
Opening day was also the opening of multi-event competition. After five events in the decathlon, Breda, Netherlands freshman Ryan Heeren rose to the top of the leaderboard after winning the 400-meter (50.61) and long jump sections (7.24m/23-9), earning second in the high jump (1.90m/6-2.75) and third in the 100-meter (10.77) – racking up 3,891 points. Finishing the first day in third place with 3, 767 points, sophomore Finn O’Neill was second in the shot put section (13.41m/44-0) and third in the 400m with a career-best 50.88, going top six in all five events.
In the women’s heptathlon, junior Edlin Laur registered 3,279 points through the first four events, sitting at third with her opening day highlighted by a second-place high jump performance of 1.76m (5-9.25) and fifth-place 100-meter hurdles at 14.24. Freshman Sunniva Indahl heads into day two in eighth after going third in the 100m hurdles (14.16) and fourth in the shot put at 11.87m (38-11.5).
Late in the day, Sandnes, Norway sophomore Selma Ims registered a huge 400-meter hurdles trials performance, winning the third heat of the preliminary with a season-best 57.27, while Carpenedolo, Italy senior Fatoumata Kabo was fifth on a season-best 59.13 in the second heat. Both performers moved on to Saturday’s final.
Also in track preliminary action on Thursday, Ida Breigan was 13th in the 200-meter at 23.66, David Zuniga was 19th in the 1,500-meter at 4:01.87 and Tyler Madison was 22nd in the men’s 200m at 21.45.
On Friday, May 15, the decathlon resumes for its final five events with the 100-meter hurdles section at 10 a.m., followed by discus, pole vault, javelin and the 1,500-meter run. The remaining three heptathlon events start at 11 a.m. with the long jump, javelin and 800-meter. Field events begin at 1:30 p.m. with the shot put, followed by long jump. On the track, the 100-meter hurdles trials are set for 5:25 p.m., followed by 110-meter hurdles at 5:45 p.m., 800-meter at 6 p.m., 400-meter at 6:45 p.m. and 100-meter at 7 p.m.
For the consequential final day of competition, action begins on Saturday, May 16 at 1:30 p.m. with the discus, ahead of triple jump and high jump. UTSA’s track events start with the finals for the 100m hurdles (5:10 p.m.), 110m hurdles (5:20 p.m.), 400m (5:30 p.m.), 100m (5:45 p.m.), 800m (6:05 p.m.), 400m hurdles (6:15 p.m.), 5,000m run (7:10 p.m.) and then concluding the meet in traditional fashion on the 4x400-meter relays (7:35 p.m.).
Up next: Qualified performers will extend their postseason into regional competition at the NCAA West First Round on May 27-30, at Arkansas’ John McDonnell Field, competing for the opportunity to reach the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Oregon’s historic Hayward Field, June 10-13.
- UTSA -