LIVE RESULTS
MEET NOTES
CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M will host the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi on April 2-3 at the WTAMU Track & Field Complex. The two-day meet will feature over 600 student athletes from New Mexico, New Mexico State, Adams State, Eastern New Mexico, UC-Colorado Springs and CSU-Pueblo.
MEET PREVIEW
The Lady Buffs will have a full squad in action this weekend including
Florance Uwajeneza in the 1,500-meters. The junior is coming off a record-breaking performance at the Texas Relays running 16:2950 in the 5,000-meters.
Leah Belfield,
Valda Kabia,
DeOndra Green and
Alana Wilson will all compete in three events including the 4x100-meter relay.
Zada Swoopes and
Taylor Nelloms are also registered in three events with Nelloms making her home debut in the long, triple and high jump.
The men's 4x100m relay of
Benjamin Azamati,
Tyrin Lewis,
Desmond Aryee and
Jahmaal Wilson will make their season debut on Saturday. Azamati will compete in the 200-meters and has his eye on the facility record of 20.36 set by Eastern New Mexico's Marcus Parker in 2018. Aryee will also open his outdoor season in the 100-meter dash.
Mahmoud Massoud is scheduled to compete in the discus after picking up a provisional mark in the event at the Texas Relays.
Cade Halliburton broke the program record in the hammer throw the last time he competed in Canyon with a mark of 151-11 (46.31m).
THE FASTEST TO DO IT
Benjamin Azamati put the track world on notice at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays as the junior ran a wind-legal 9.97 in the prelims of the 100-meter dash. Not only is that the second-fastest time in the world this year but also broke the NCAA Division II and Ghana national record. That is also under the Olympic Standard of 10.05.
The freshman was also named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week following the performance. He was also named the LSC Track Athlete of the Week for the first time outdoors and fourth time in his career.
ZADA, QUEEN OF THE LONE STAR CONFERENCE
Zada Swoopes was named the Lone Star Conference Women's Field Athlete of the Week after tying her own and conference record in the shot put. The senior finished fourth in the 'A' section of the shot put with a mark of 55-0 (16.76m), the same distance she recorded at the WT Spring Break Classic in Canyon. She also finished sixth in the discus with a toss of 173-8 (52.94m), the 10th best mark in program history.
SANDARUWAN PICKS UP LSC WEEKLY HONORS
Dhanushka Sandaruwan was named the LSC Men's Field Athlete of the Week following his performance at the Texas Relays. The senior now ranks first in the nation in the long jump after his leap of 25-4 (7.72m) to win the 'B' heat. That is also the second-best mark in program history.
A LOOK AT THE RANKINGS
The Buffs and Lady Buffs were both ranked in the Top 5 of the first edition of the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Rating Index released by the USTFCCCA. The men's team is ranked second for the second time in program history with 233.03 points while the women's team sits third with 225.28 points.
UP NEXT
WT will split the squad next week competing in the Masked Raider Open in Lubbock and Flames Invitational in Cleveland, Tenn.
