TOPEKA, Kan. - The Iowa Western Track and Field programs had a successful weekend at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships hosted by Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. The Men's Team tailed 61 points over the 2-day championship to finish 3rd place and equal the highest finish in school history.
Mohammed Kowa contributed 21 points to the Reivers total score and was the 2nd highest point scorer for the meet. Kowa was the national champion in the men's mile running 4:08.47. He anchored the Men's DMR of Bett, Northover, Hines, Kowa to a 5th place finish 9:58.93, 4th in the 3000m 8.17.39, and 4th place in the 1000m in 2:28.43.
Brandon Gayle finished 5th place breaking the school record in the Men's shot put throwing 17.07m. Teammate Denzs Simmonds was 6th place throwing 16.70m.
Steve Hines finished 6th in the 800m running 1:53.93. Jacinto Gaspar also finished 6th in the Mile running 4:11.94.
Paul Rowden led a strong showing for the high jump group finishing 3rd in 2.09m. Roman Smith finished 4th in 2.04m and Tyler Missick 5th also in 2.04m
Tahj Hamm broke the school record in the 200m dash running 21.04 to finish 4th place. Hamm had previously reset his own record in the prelims running 21.12.
The Men's 4x400m Relay of J. Brown, Hamm, A. Brown, Northover finished 5th in 3:12.09 to close out the meet and secure a 3rd place overall team finish. " We had a few tough breaks with people missing out on scoring on the Men's side and some step up. We will add some more depth in the outdoor season, so we are excited about how the team finished." Said Head Coach David Burnett
On the Women's side, Miracle Ailes highlighted the day. She broke the school and facility record on her first-round attempt in the long jump in 6.42m to win the event. Her mark is #2 in NJCAA history and the furthest jump since the current NJCAA record holder Lacena Golding (San Jacinto College), in 1995. Ailes came back the next day to win the high jump in 1.74m. She moved the bar up to 1.90m which would be an all time & dates NJCAA record but was unsuccessful on 3 attempts.
Antonia Sealy broke the school record in the pentathlon to finish 3rd place. She had 2 personal bests to win the hurdles in 8.55 and also the long jump 5.84m. Mercy Biwott finished 3rd place in the 5000m in 18:10.02. She came back on day 2 to run 5:16.24. The 4x800m Relay of Arnold, French, Pierson, Stacey finished 3rd in 10:06.06.
Shakera Williams was 4th in the shot put throwing 14.17m, and Jazmyn James 5th 13.73. "We had some bright spots on the Women's side with Miracle winning 2 events and Sealy breaking the school record in the pentathlon.
"Our distance squad really stepped up along with our shot put group." Said Coach Burnett.
The Reivers will take a week off before opening the outdoor season at the Emporia Spring Invitational on March 18.
