Aggie Track & Field Gears Up for Charlie Thomas Invitational

News release from Texas A&M Athletics: 

The Texas A&M track & field team returns home as it hosts the Charlie Thomas Invitational Feb. 6-7, at the R.A. ‘Murray’ Fasken ’38 Indoor Track & Field facility with events starting at 9:30 a.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Aggies had an impressive showing last time out, as it split travel between the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational in Louisville and the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston. The group in Louisville, captured four event titles, dished out three Texas A&M all-time marks and two personal bests. While in Boston, the team broke one school record, entered seven marks into the Aggie all-time performers list and added five personal bests.

Debora Cherono got the weekend rolling in Boston, as she downed her own women’s mile school record crossing the line in 4:36.34 to finish second among collegiate athletes in the event. Flipping to Louisville, Peter Narumbe recorded the second-fastest indoor 800m mark by a freshman in NCAA history with a personal-best time of 1:46.13. He secured his fourth-straight win of the season and climbed from No. 7 to No. 4 on the A&M all-time list. Narumbe’s performance garnered attention across the league, as he was named SEC Men’s Freshman of the Week.

The Maroon & White captured another three wins at the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational, headlined by SEC Men’s Runner of the week Ja’Qualon Scott. The senior earned the conference accolade after winning the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.52, which ranked him No. 2 in the country this season for the event. The men’s 4x400m relay team got the job done, running the fastest time in the nation this year of 3:02.71 for the win. The quartet’s mark also debuted them at No. 5 in the all-time list. Rounding out the wins was the women’s 4x400m relay group, who crossed the line in 3:32.99.

Texas A&M’s additional alterations to the record book included Joyce Kemboi in the women’s 5,000m entering at No. 2 (16:00.74), while Michael Moiben also debuted at No. 2 in the men’s event (13:50.48). Elise Smoot rose from No. 3 to No. 2 in the women’s mile (4:40.59) and Sophia Bendet climbed from No. 6 to No. 3 (4:43.22). On the men’s side, Ondrej Gajdoš climbed eight rankings to No. 2 in the mile (3:58.69), while Youssef Asslouj debuted at No. 10 in the event (4:02.04) and finally Reece Sharman-Newell entered the 800m ranks at No. 10 (1:47.58).

Texas A&M will compete against 17 teams including Abilene Christian, Arizona State, Baylor, East Texas A&M, Houston, Rice, Sam Houston, SMU, South Plains, Stephen F. Austin, Texas Southern, Texas State, UCF, UT-Arlington, UTRGV, UTSA and Western Texas.

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