By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications
WACO, Texas – Texas A&M track & field All-Americans Deborah Acquah and Lamara Distin claimed individual titles, while the men’s team won the 4x400m relay title Saturday afternoon to wrap up the Michael Johnson Invitational at Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium.
Distin won the women’s high jump with a clearance of 6-4/1.93m. The sophomore entered the competition at 6-0/1.83m with a successful first attempt, followed by another first attempt clearance at 6-2/1.88m. After two failed attempts at 6-4/1.93m, Distin soared over the bar to claim the event title. Distin bowed out after three failed attempts at 6-5.5/1.97m.
Acquah won the women’s triple jump with a mark of 44-9/13.64m (2.9w). After fouling the first two attempts, the senior landed at 43-11.25/13.39 (2.1w) to advance to the finals with the top mark. It was on the final attempt when she landed at her winning mark.
Running against near 40 mile-per-hour winds, the men’s 4x400m relay of freshman Emmanuel Bamidele (44.65), sophomores Chevannie Hanson (45.68) and Omajuwa Etiwe (46.03) and junior Moitalel Mpoke 45.64) won with an impressive time of 3:02.23. The quartet registered the second-fastest Aggie time this season.
Junior Zach Davis placed second in the men’s pole vault with a personal best height of 17-7/5.36m. The Aledo, Texas, product became the ninth best performer in Aggie history. Most notably, Davis cleared heights of 16-3.25/4.96m, 16-9.25/5.11m and 17-3/5.26m on first attempts.
Freshmen Katelyn Fairchild and Lianna Davidson finished second and third in the women’s javelin. Fairchild led the duo with a mark of 174-9/53.27m, while Davidson followed at 166-5/50.74m. Junior Nickolas Mirabelli placed third in the men’s javelin at a season best 217-00/66.14m, followed by sophomore Julian Stoicoviciu at 192-3/58.60m in sixth.
Sophomore Teddy Radtke placed second in the men’s 3000m steeplechase at 9:41.48.
Other notable performances include freshman Bryce Foster placing third in the men’s shot put with a personal best 62-1.25/18.93m, which makes him the sixth best performer in Aggie history. Junior Jake Lamberth placing third in the men’s high jump at 6-11.5/2.12m and sophomore Ryan Martin running a personal best time of 10.23 (1.9w) to place fourth in the men’s 100m. Freshman Christian Rosales won heat two of the men’s 400m at a personal best time of 48.07. Sophomore Allyson Andress cleared a personal best 5-10/1.78m to place sixth in the women’s high jump.
Aggie professionals Bryce Deadmon and Athing Mu won their respective races, Deadmon clocked 44.81 in the men’s 400m and Mu 2:02.07 in the women’s 800m.
Next Up
Texas A&M returns to the Brazos Valley to host the Alumni Muster on April 30 at E.B. Cushing Stadium.
Texas A&M Quotes
Head Coach Pat Henry
on the windy weather/men’s 4x400m…
“The wind was terrible and in some regards a little bit too much to overcome, but we got a few things done here. Anything around the oval was extremely difficult to do so for our relay to run 3:02.23 is a heck of a run. We ran 3:02.37 last week and it was dead still.”
on Lamara Distin and Zach Davis…
“Lamara [Distin] continues to be very consistent and when you’re consistent something big is going to happen. I look forward to something big happening for Lamara as the season moves on. Zach [Davis], it was nice to see something happen for him. He has been kind of stale and all of a sudden he sets a PR today and that is good to see. Now it’s time to see if we can come back next week and do the same thing.”
on Deborah Acquah…
“Deborah [Acquah] starts with two fouls and puts a pretty good jump in to get to the finals and then improves her jump there. She is a clutch athlete and she’s able to do some things that I hope can contribute to a great team effort as we move forward.”
on Bryce Foster…
“That’s a good improvement for Bryce [Foster]. He’s up to 62-foot and he’s starting to be competitive and that is great to see.”