LEVELLAND — The South Plains College men's and women's track and field teams will compete in their second indoor meet of the season on Saturday when they travel to Angelo State University.
South Plains hosted the SPC Indoor Invite #1 a week ago with the Texans and Lady Texans combining for 18 national qualifying marks and Onaara Obamuwagun set a new personal best in the women's triple jump.
"We knew this was going to be an interesting season and it definitely has been so far," South Plains head coach Erik Vance said. "Getting 18 marks out of the gate was a good start and had some freshmen kids who hadn't qualified, qualified. I was proud of Onaara and Dejah did had qualifying marks in the long and triple and to get both of those was nice."
Obamuwagun placed first in the women's long and triple jump events, soaring 18' 5.25" in the long jump, and turned in a final mark of 43' 10.75" in the triple. Dejah Fuller would take second in the long jump and hit a national mark with a final jump of 18' 2.75". Fuller would hit another qualifying mark in the triple jump with a jump of 37' 10.75". In the women's high jump, Ari Vallafranco placed second, clearing 5' 7.25" for the Lady Texans. Griffin Mackenzie followed up with a first-place finish in the women's pole vault, clearing 10' 0"
Sophomore Rosemary Chukwuma posted the top time in the women's 60-meter dash, clocking a 7.46. Success Umokoro wasn't far behind, taking second in the 60 meters in 7.78. Jordan Brown followed up with a first-place finish in the women's 200 meters, clocking a 25.36. In the women's 800 meters, Camille Lewis turned in the fastest time in 2:25.03, while Tia Harry took first in the women's 60 hurdles with a time of 9.05.
In the women's shot put, South Plains' Genevieve Ige won the event with a throw of 37' 10.5". The Lady Texans would cap the meet with the women's 4x400 relay as Success Umokoro, Keshana Page, Lexi Jackson, and Jordan Brown posted the top time in 3:57.73.
Chaunzavia Lewis kicked things off for the Texans with a first-place finish in the men's 60 meters, posting a 6.92. Sophomore Khaleb McRae turned in the top time in the men's 200 meters, clocking a 22.27. In the men's 400 meters, Chris Robinson took the top spot, crossing the line in 48.47.
In the men's high jump, Romaine Beckford made the most of his first opportunity this season, clearing 7' 0.25". Thomas Nieto hit a national qualifying mark in the men's pole vault, clearing the bar at 15' 1.5". The Texans would record a national qualifying mark in the men's 4x400 as McRae, Issac Hastings, Chaunzavia Lewis, and Isaiah Palemer turned in the top time in 3:14.91.
"I was happy with what Romaine Beckford did in the high jump," Vance said. "He's going to be a guy we talk about all the time because that's the kind of athlete he is and performs every time he goes out. He had a good jump and had a good shot at an all-time jump and is moving up on the all-time list."
Javon-Taye Williams earned a second-place finish in the men's 800 meters, posting a time of 1:57.09* for the Texans. The Texans had four runners hit national qualifying marks in the men's 60 hurdles, as Justin Guy took first in 8.18, while Nelvin Appiah Konadu was second in 8.32, Chris Robinson placed third in 8.36, and Damarcus Sneed was fourth in 8.38.