AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas A&M track & field teams advanced seven Aggies to Saturday’s finals to complete day one of the 93rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
After a slow start to the meet, the Maroon & White began to find success on the track when Tierra Robinson-Jones, Omajuwa Etiwe and Brandon Miller all recorded qualifying times in the open 400m.
Running in lane five, Robinson-Jones placed second in heat two with a time of 52.83. Overall, it was the third fastest time in the prelims. The women’s 400m finals are scheduled for Saturday at 3:15 p.m.
In the men’s race, Etiwe finished second in the first heat with a collegiate personal best time of 46.61, while Miller placed third in heat three at a personal best time of 46.86. Etiwe’s time held up as the fourth fastest in the prelims, while Miller ran the eighth fastest. The men’s 400m finals is set for Saturday at 3:25 p.m.
Texas A&M remained hot on the track advancing James Smith II and Moitalel Mpoke in the men’s 400m hurdles with two of the three fastest preliminary times. Smith II ran 50.09, while Mpoke clocked 50.10. Mpoke recorded a personal best and put his name on the all-time Aggie top-12 performer list at No. 12, Smith II already ranks No. 11 on the performer list with a season best time of 49.95. The gun goes off for the men’s 400m hurdles on Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
Despite failing to advance to the women’s 400m hurdles finals, freshman Dominique Mustin turned in an impressive effort clocking in at 59.77.
Immanuela Aliu and Devon Achane each won their 200m heat to advance past the preliminary rounds. Aliu ran a personal best 23.30 to cross the finish line first in the second heat of the women’s 200m, while Achane ran away from the field in heat three of the men’s 200m at a collegiate personal best time of 20.72.
The finals for the 200m start Saturday at 3:55 p.m. with the women’s races, followed by the men’s finals at 4:08 p.m.
Other notable performances include Annie Fuller making her Aggie outdoor debut finishing sixth in the women’s 1500m “A” race at 4:31.00, Carlton Orange finished fourth in the Jerry Thompson men’s mile invitational at 4:12.05 and Brady Grant clocking a personal best time of 9:14.41 in the 3000m steeple chase to place sixth. Grant bettered his personal record by nearly 30-seconds.
Eric Casarez and Julia Black each recorded top-10 finishes in the 5000m races. Casarez finished fifth in a field of 21 runners in the men’s race, he ran 14:18.38. Black ran an outdoor 5000m personal best in the women’s race to finish eighth at 17:03.58, just one second off her overall personal best.
Day two of the Texas Relays begins with field events at 9:30 a.m., while the 100m/110m hurdles prelims are scheduled for 1:35 p.m.
Coaches Box
Head Coach Pat Henry
on the day and having seven athletes advance to the finals:
"We started the day well with the 400m runners. Tierra [Robinson-Jones] advanced on the ladies side and Omajuwa [Etiwe] and Brandon [Miller] each ran season bests to advance on the men's side. Dominique [Mustin] didn't run her best time, but she learned something through the race and still ran under 60-seconds. Mpoke had a great race, he won his heat and it's the fastest he's ever ran. James [Smith II] advanced, he was just a little bit too relaxed in the first part of the race and then he came on strong but you can't run a race like that. He learned something about himself tonight, but both guys qualified for the intermediate hurdles finals and looked good. Immanuela [Aliu] and Devon [Achane] looked good and advanced. Achane has ran 20.76 and 20.72 within a week and he's never done that before. We had a good number advance for us today."
on the distance crew:
"We finished off the night pretty well. Annie [Fuller], it was the first time she got on the track in an Aggie uniform this outdoor season and ran a good tactical race but isn't in the best shape she can be. I think she is going to help us before the year is over. The steeplechasers ran well tonight. Julia [Black] was just a second off her overall personal best, I hope she knows that she can run much faster than what she's ran but you gotta find those things out in a race. Eric [Casarez] looked great tonight, he did a really good job and I'm proud of his performance tonight. Nicklaus [Brawner] is just a young guy and he's just got to keep working on it."
