FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 20, 2017
CONTACT: Alex Ryan (alex.ryan@uc.edu / c (513) 623-9992 / @al3xryan)
Full Release on Website Link: http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/c-track/recaps/012117aaa.html
Records Falls as Bearcats T&F Opens with Strong Marks at Gladstein
Echikunwoke unloads in weight throw; Valles claims top spot in the NCAA to lead the way
CINCINNATI - Annette Echikunwoke shattered her own school record in the weight throw and Adrian Valles blasted his own pole vault record Friday at the Gladstein Invitational at Indiana to lead the way for the University of Cincinnati track and field program that recorded 12 personal bests, 20 season bests, nine marks ranking in the school’s all-time Top 10 ledgers. The meet, held inside the Gladstein Fieldhouse, also saw Bearcats win three different events with Sergio Acera taking the gold in the triple jump to join Echikunwoke and Valles on the top step of the podium.
// WOMEN’S RESULTS
- Another meet, another record, this time coming in huge fashion from Echikunwoke as the junior obliterated her own school record, breaking the mark for now the 10th time in the last 13 months as she won the event with a toss of 22.53m (73-11.00), easily sailing past her previous best of 21.76m (71-04.75) and upping her PR by another 3’ 7.25” in one throw. Echikunwoke’s mark not only smashed the school record, but also placed her back into the NCAA lead and moved her into the No. 2 position on the world list.
- Staying in the field, freshman Irati Mitxelena competed in her first triple jump competition as a collegian and bounced her way to a mark of 11.98m (39-03.75) to finish second in the event. Her marks also placed her third on UC’s all-time Top 10 chart.
- On the track, Kellsa Mbah turned up the speed in the 60m dash by finishing fifth in the preliminary round in 7.59 before placing third in the finals with the identical time. Those times stand as a personal-best for the long jump specialist and also moved her into a tie for fourth on the school’s Top 10 list.
- Also in the short sprints, Juliana Puopolo recorded two season-best times and one personal best as she races in the 60m dash and the 60m hurdles. In the sprint, she ran 7.98 to lower her season best after running 8.97 in the hurdles to record a PR. Angelica Lightfoot raced in both events as well, running 8.29 and 9.05, respectively, while Alanna Hendricks was 12th overall in the sprint at 7.88.
- A trio of distance runners took to the track as well with Meg Westerheide leading the way as she ran the mile in 5:06.55, just off her personal-best time. Grace O’Donnell and Vanessa Robinson ran the 3,000m event, finishing 14th (10:44.01) and 17th (10:48.79), respectively.
// MEN’S RESULTS
- Competing in one of the later events in the evening, Valles put on a show as the junior cleared 5.10m and 5.30m with ease on his first attempts at both. He then had the bar moved to 5.52m (18-01.25), which he cleared on his third and final attempt to take over the national lead and break his own school record, beating his previous best of 5.48m. From there, the Spaniard took a crack at 5.66m (18-07.00) and nearly cleared it, missing out on bettering his lifetime best by 1cm (5.65m).
- Acera also found great success in the triple jump as he won the event with a top mark of 14.62m (47-11.75) in his first attempt at the event this season. With that mark, Acera moved up the school’s all-time Top 10 list into the No. 6 slot and currently ranks third among the men in the American Athletic Conference.
- Jimmy Brooks had a solid debut in the 60m dash as the senior, in his first attempt at the event, sprinted to a time of 6.93 to finish fourth in the preliminary rounds and advance to the final with the school’s 10th-fastest time. In the finals, he moved up the rankings to finish second overall as he lowered his time to 6.86, leaping all the way up to a tie for the fourth position on the list. In the same event, Halen Witcher turned in a PR time of 7.06 while Tevin-Lloyd Thompson (7.06) and Khalid Fuller (7.10) also raced.
- Back in the field, Macklin Tudor posted a personal-best toss of 17.98m (59-00.00) in the weight throw to improve upon his No. 4 position on the UC Top 10 list while his toss placed him third overall. Chris Province recorded a PR in the event as well as he finished eighth with a best of 15.48m (50-09.50).
Action at the Gladstein Invitational concludes Saturday with many more Bearcats set to compete.
2017 Gladstein Invitational - Day 1 (1/20/17)
Women’s Results
60m Dash
Prelims
5. Kellsa Mbah - 7.59 - PR & UC t-#4
12. Alanna Hendricks - 7.88
14. Juliana Puopolo - 7.98
23. Angelica Lightfoot - 8.29
Final
3. Kellsa Mbah - 7.59 - =PR & UC t-#4
60m Hurdles
Prelims
14. Juliana Puopolo - 8.97 - PR
19. Angelica Lightfoot - 9.05
400m Dash
8. Deanna Gesicki - 58.02
Mile Run
5. Meg Westerheide - 5:06.55
3,000m Run
14. Grace O’Donnell - 10:44.01
17. Vanessa Robinson - 10:48.79
Triple Jump
2. Irati Mitxelena - 11.98m (39-03.75) - PR & UC #3
Pole Vault
4. Sadie Brass - 3.55m (11-07.75)
7. Lily Bunse - 3.40m (11-01.75)
Weight Throw
1. Annette Echikunwoke - 22.53m (73-11.00) - PR & UC RECORD
14. Nicole Breeden - 15.44m (50-08.00)
- Ashley Williams - foul
Men’s Results
60m Dash
Prelims
4. Jimmy Brooks - 6.93 - PR & UC #10
12. Tevin Thompson - 7.06
13. Halen Witcher - 7.06 - PR
14. Khalid Fuller - 7.10
Finals
2. Jimmy Brooks - 6.86 - PR & UC t-#4
60m Hurdles
Prelims
11. Alex Bloom - 8.68
400m Dash
4. Ryan Greene - 50.25
6. Kevin Konkoly - 50.40
Triple Jump
1. Sergio Acera - 14.62m (47-11.75) - PR & UC #6
Pole Vault
1. Adrian Valles - 5.52m (18-01.25) - PR & UC RECORD
Weight Throw
3. Macklin Tudor - 17.98m (59-00.00) - PR & UC #4
8. Chris Province - 15.48m (50-09.50) - PR
9. John Zedella - 15.32m (50-03.25)
Alex Ryan
Director, University of Cincinnati Athletics Communications
Contact for Cross Country // Track & Field // Women’s Soccer
alex.ryan@uc.edu // (513) 623-9992 // @al3xryan
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