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PUEBLO, CO. - In a display of sheer athleticism, determination, and unrivaled team spirit, the West Texas A&M Track and Field team left an indelible mark at day one of the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship. Facing fierce competition from top-tier athletes across the nation, the Buffs and Lady Buffs showcased their exceptional talent.
Day one consisted of preliminary events and two final events for the Lady Buffs. Florance Uwajeneza brought in six team points with a third-place finish in the 10,000 meters. In the last race of day one, Uwajeneza started with a pack of 10 other athletes before breaking away on lap four. She finished 200 meters in front of the pack of athletes running behind her with a time of 35:18.93.
PRELIMINARIES
In the men's 4x100 relay, the quartet of sprinters from West Texas A&M exhibited a seamless baton exchange and unmatched speed, storming across the finish line to claim first in their heat. The remarkable teamwork and precise execution from Joseph Manu, Jerry Jakpa, Jalen Purcell and Isaac Botsio placed the Buffs as the second fastest time in NCAA DII history. They were just 0.05 seconds from beating a record set by Saint Augustine's in 2013. They finished with a time of 38.96, the only relay team to be under 39 seconds.
Not to be outdone, the women's 4x100 relay team showcased their incredible stamina and unwavering determination. Navigating their way through a highly competitive field, the Lady Buffs surged ahead in the final leg, securing another first place finish in their preliminary heat. They finished with a time of 44.36, the third fastest time in WT history. This relay team, who have been running together for a year, now own all five fastest recorded times in WT history.
Eleonora Curtabbi placed in the finals of both of her events, the steeplechase and 1500 meter. She eased her way to first place in the steeplechase after running just two hours prior in the 1500 meter. She's set for the final steeplechase event tomorrow at 8:15 PM.
Looking Ahead
Based on today's preliminaries, WT will have thirteen athletes in the final events held on Saturday, May 27th including the men's and women's 4x100 relays. Tomorrow's events will include the 200 meter and 100-meter hurdle preliminaries and the rest of the decathlon and heptathlon events along with the 4x400 relays.
Decathlete Gerard Bryant finished the day sitting in 11th place with four more events while Heptathlete Laiten Greeson is in 7th place with three more events left tomorrow.
