The Kansas State track and field team split up this weekend as athletes headed to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic as well as Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Tyson Invitational.
“We had some really fine performances, good competitive efforts and personal-bests,” Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said to K-State Athletics.
One performance filled each of those categories, along with a school record. Junior Cooper Schroeder ran his way to a new school record in the 5,000-meters, just one week after a new school record was set for the 3,000-meters. Schroeder timed out at 13:55.58 in the 5,000-meter race, beating the previous record set in 2005 by Mathew Chesang (14:06.10). Schroeder’s effort earned him a first-place finish.
Also running her way to a gold medal was junior O’Shalia Johnson. Johnson locked up first place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 54.07. Less than a full tick behind her was junior Shalysa Wray, who earned second place with a time of 54.47.
Another Johnson brought home a gold, as junior Kassidy Johnson earned a first-place finish in the women’s 800-meter run with a time of 2:05.75.
K-State brought home five gold medals over the weekend, the other two coming in field events. In women’s pole vault, Hawaii-native Tommi Hintnaus vaulted her way to first, clearing a height of 4.15m/13-7.25.
In what was nearly a top-five sweep for the Wildcats, junior Devon Richardson brought home gold in the men’s high jump, clearing 2.14m/7-0.25. Three others placed in the event, including super-senior Kyle Alcine with a mark of 2.09m/6-10.25, earning him second place. Freshman Kamyren Garrett and freshman Emil Uhlin both cleared 2.04m/6-8.25, earning fourth and fifth places, respectively.
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Earning silver for the Wildcats was junior Emma Robbins in her weight throw efforts. Robbins threw a mark of 20.47m/67-2 for a second-place finish.
Freshman Kavian Kerr also earned second place with his mark of 7.66m/25-7.25 in the men’s long jump at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The leap was a personal best for Kerr.
Fellow freshman teammate Velecia Williams also earned a top-five finish in Fayetteville. Williams finished in fifth place in the women’s long jump with a new personal best jump of 6.04m/19-9.75.
Back in Ames, several other Wildcat athletes collected top-five finishes.
Sophomore Jasmine Greer gave the 8.8-pound shot put a toss of 15.35m/50-4.50 for a third-place finish.
Add a steel wire, a grip and more than triple the weight and that gives you the men’s weight throw, an event that sophomore Kade McCall earned fifth place in. McCall heaved the weight 19.92m/65-4.25.
In the women’s high jump, junior Madeline Righter set the bar at 1.66m/5-5.25 and finished in third place.
Junior Tim Lambert Jr. also earned a third-place spot in the men’s 200-meter dash. Lambert recorded a time of 21.50, a new personal best.
Rounding out individual top-five finishes was junior Urte Bacianskaite, who finished in fifth place in the women’s long jump. Bacianskaite earned a personal best with a leap of 5.75m/18-10.50.
Junior Donovan Turner also earned fifth place with his 8.17-second effort in the men’s 60-meter hurdles.
The men’s and women’s 4×400 meter relay teams earned second place with times of 3:09.09 and 3:44.26, respectively.
The Wildcats will stay at home next week for the Steve Miller Invitational at the Ahearn Field House at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18, opening with the women’s weight throw.
