Aggie Track & Field Completes Ted Nelson Invitational, Breaks Three Meet Records

(Source: Aiden Shertzer)

By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – After breaking the men’s distance medley relay Friday night, the Texas A&M men’s and women’s track and field teams broke two meet records Saturday to complete the Ted Nelson Invitational at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.

Lamara Distin and Jake Lamberth combined to sweep the men’s and women’s high jump competitions with Ted Nelson Invitational meet record clearances. Distin won the women’s high jump clearing an indoor personal best of 6-2/1.88m, while Lamberth jumped an all-time personal best 7-1.75/2.18m to win the men’s portion.

The Aggie duo moved up the Texas A&M all-time top-12 indoor performer list. Distin became the second best performer in Aggie history, while Lamberth became the fifth best all-time.

Teammates Heather Abadie, Carter Bajoit and Brandon Miller each made their mark on the Aggie all-time list. Abadie cleared 13-8.25/4.17m to finish second overall in the women’s pole vault, making the freshman the third best performer in Aggie history. Bajoit placed third in the men’s high jump becoming the eighth best indoor performer in school history at a height of 7-0.5/2.15m.

Miller highlighted the meet on the track for the Aggies winning the men’s 800m with a time of 1:47.48. The sophomore opened the first lap in 26.40, before finishing the first 400m in 53.03. Miller completed the next lap in 26.96, before stopping the clock at 1:47.48. The St. Louis native became the third fastest American under-20 all-time in the indoor 800m, only behind former Texas A&M All-Americans Donavan Brazier (1:45.93) and Carlton Orange (1:47.38). Miller defeated professionals Craig Engels and Charlie Hunter.

Other notable performances include event winners Deborah Acquah in women’s long jump (21-1.25/6.43m), Laila Owns in women’s 200m (23.57), Syaira Richardson in women’s 400m (54.55), Deshae Wise in women’s 60m hurdles (8.50) and the men’s and women’s relay teams sweeping the 4x400m. The men’s quartet of Colby Zamzow, Chevannie Hanson, Jake Lanier and Allon Clay stopped the clock at 3:12.85, while Owens, Richardson, Kennedy Wade and Tierra Robinson-Jones combined to run 3:40.76 in the women’s race.

Running unattached, Lance Broome won the men’s 200m at 21.03.

Despite not finishing first overall, Dominique Mustin and Julia Black each finished their respective races as the top collegian. Mustin ran an 800m time of 2:09.40, while Black ran 9:47.04 in the 3000m.

Aggie professional Athing Mu won the women’s mile with a meet record time of 4:37.99. In total, six meet records were broken at the Ted Nelson Invitational.

For the most up-to-date information on Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@aggietfxc).

Texas A&M Quotes
Head Coach Pat Henry
on the team…
“This was a very difficult week and past month after losing Deon Lendore and Chance Gibson. As close as those two were to this team, it has been a difficult time and a very difficult week. It is hard to keep an eye on the target for many of them, so I thought a lot them did a really good job.”

on Brandon Miller…
“Brandon [Miller] is a tough little nut. That kid is good, he’s really good and he’s just going to continue to get better. As small of a guy that he is, to put together what he does is amazing.”

on the high jumpers…
“Jake [Lamberth] had a good performance, 7-1.75 this early in the season is a really good jump. Carter [Bajoit] jumped 7-0.5 as well. To have two guys jump over 7-0 right now is good and to have Lamara [Distin] jump 6-2 is the best she’s ever jumped indoors.”

800m Runner Brandon Miller
on the 800m race and competing against professional Craig Engels…
“Looking back on it, it was one of my fastest times ever and my fastest opener ever. I kind of got out slow but then I was able to come back and even split it. I’m very blessed and happy with how the race went. At the end of the day we’re all just runners. I believe in the abilities that God gave me and I feel like I should be up there as well. He’s a gifted runner and it was really good to have him pushing me. I looked up on the back stretch and saw that he was right there but I just had to stay relaxed and bring it home.”

High Jumper Jake Lamberth
on the day and if he knew a big jump was coming…
“Today’s performance goes back to my training. I placed 14th at regionals last year. After that, I knew this year was going to be different. I had to come in and stay devoted to my training and listen to my coaches. They know what they’re talking about. Texas A&M is the best university in the nation for track and field, so just to be here in this moment and take this in, it’s a very special day…In track and field, that 7 foot mark is a lot bigger than what it seems to be. It’s a milestone, so just to be able to pop over that was great. 7-1.75 is great. But now the next bar, let’s go to 7-3, potentially 7-4. Let’s take Jimmy Howard’s record down. That’s my goal.”