By: Texas A&M Athletics Communications
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M men’s and women’s track & field teams won six events to complete the Charlie Thomas Invitational Saturday night inside the Gilliam Indoor Track stadium.
After claiming two event titles Friday night, the Maroon & White added four more on day two. Along with the event titles, seven Aggies recorded a Texas A&M all-time top 12 mark.
Individual event winners include Charokee Young (women’s 400m), Laila Owens (women’s 200m) and Bára Sajdoková (women’s high jump), while the men’s team claimed the 4x400m relay with the fourth fastest time in the nation at 3:04.84.
Young registered a season best 400m time of 52.00, equaling the second fastest time in the nation. Tierra Robinson-Jones followed in second at a time of 52.23, sixth fastest in the NCAA.
Owens won the 200m with a time of 23.28, just off her personal best time of 23.21. The men’s quartet of Chevannie Hanson, Emmanuel Bammidele, Omajuwa Etiwe and Brandon Miller ended the night with a meet record time of 3:04.84.
Prior to the running events, Bára Sajdoková won the high jump at 5-11.5/1.82m. The clearance puts her as the ninth best Aggie performer in school history.
Other Aggie all-time top-12 performers include Robinson-Jones (women’s 400m), Annie Fuller (women’s mile), Gemma Goddard (women’s 3000m), Gavin Hoffpauir (men’s mile), Bailey Goggans (women’s 800m) and Devon Achane (men’s 60m).
In the distance races, Fuller ran a 4:47.47 mile, placing her at No. 4 on the Aggie all-time list. Goddard, a freshman, ran 9:27.87 in the 3000m, making her the fourth fastest Aggie all-time. Hoffpauir moved to No. 10 all-time after clocking a 4:05.08 mile.
Robinson-Jones bettered her mark in the record book with a time of 52.23, ranking her seventh in Aggie history. Goggans, making her 800m debut, clocked 2:08.72, placing her No. 10. Achane, in his season debut, registered a 6.71 in the 60m to become the 11th fastest Aggie all-time.
Next Up
Texas A&M sends the majority of its team to Albuquerque, N.M. for the Don Kirby Elite Invitational on Feb. 11-12, while the mid-distance and distance groups travel to Nashville, Tenn. to compete at the Indoor Music City Challenge on Feb. 11-12.
Texas A&M Quotes
Head Coach Pat Henry
on the men’s and women’s 4x400m…
“We finished the meet off right…the record of 3:04.86 in 2010 had a couple of gold medalist on that group. I’m real happy about this group of guys. It’s really the first time I’ve been able to put them in a competitive situation. They stepped up and did a really good job tonight.”
“The men and women know that if we put everybody together at the right time on the track that we will run well. They all know we are going to run fast, it’s just a matter of getting the right situation.”
on the distance group…
“We had a large amount of distance runners that set personal bests this weekend. That shows some youth, which is a good thing. We also had some older people that set personal bests. I’m pleased with that kind of environment on our team. We have some youth and we have some that have been around awhile.”
on two-sport athletes Devon Achane and Bryce Foster…
“To open the season running 6.71, that’s getting after it. Devon [Achane] did ok in the prelims, but he was last out of the blocks in the finals. It’s the same for Bryce [Foster], its rhythm. It takes a little bit of time and it’s repetition before things can really happen.”
Sophomore Brandon Miller
on embracing a larger role as a member of the 4x400m…
“It’s about stepping up. Last season and years before, Texas A&M has had a pipeline of 800m runners in the 4x400m, Devin Dixon, Donavan Brazier and Carlton Orange. I knew coming into this season that I had to step up. With the right coaching and a year of experience under my belt, I knew that I would be able to contribute to the team. I’m taking it in stride and giving the team everything I have every time I step on the track.”
on 4x400m mentality after suffering a DQ last week…
“Bounce back. Last week we had a fumble with the handoff. Right after that race I went up to coach and said that we lost about five seconds with the miscue. This week was all about bouncing back. We got back in practice and tried to perfect our handoffs. We wanted to do something great and it showed tonight.”