T-Bird Men’s Track and Field Begins Outdoor Season
The New Mexico Junior College men's track and field team completed their first meet since winning the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Championship. The T-Birds began the outdoor season at the Masked Rider Open on March 25 in Lubbock, Texas.
Tapiwanashe (Carlie) Makarawu set the school record in the 100m with a 10.07. The run bests former T-Bird Tyrell Edwards' 10.29 time set in 2021. The time was the second-fastest at the meet and the fastest time at any level collegiately in outdoor.
Makarawu performance earned the freshman the NJCAA men's division USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for the second time this year.
Kimarlie Stewart also qualified in the 100m. The freshman finished the sprint in 10.48 and is ranked No. 10 in the NJCAA.
Freshman Takudzwa (Donald) Chiyangwa set an outdoor school record with his 400m time of 45.77. Chiyangwa is No. 3 in the NJCAA for the 400m. Aymane El Haddaoui was an improved qualifier with his personal best in the 400m (46.50). The time is good enough to place him No. 7 in the NJCAA standings for the 400m.
Kelsey Daniel set an outdoor long jump school record with his leap of 24'6 ¼". The national qualifying jump put the sophomore in first overall in the long jump standings for the NJCAA.
Sophomore pole vaulter Dalton Smith matched his personal best vault from indoor with an outdoor school record of 16'1 ¼".
The T-Birds had three runners improve on their national mark in the 1500 and one runner nationally qualify for the race.
Evans Pololet led the way for the T-Birds in the 1500. The Kenyan set a school record and improved on his national mark with at time of 3:53.19 (NJCAA No. 6). The sophomore now owns five school records at NMJC.
Tomas Vega was an improved qualifier in the 1500. The freshman ranks No. 8 in the NJCAA with a time of 3:54.62. Freshman German Vega was slightly behind, running a 3:55.99 improved mark (NJCAA No. 13).
Alex Keter, who missed the entire indoor season with an injury, rounded out the quartet of runners who made qualifying marks with a 4:03.47 time. The freshman also nationally qualified in the 5000m, running a 15:10.44 (NJCAA No. 22).
"Everyone looked good (at the Masked Rider Open), we have a few small injuries we have to work through," head coach Keith Blackwill said.
The Thunderbird men come in at No. 3 in Week 1's USTFCCCA NJCAA Men's Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index.
NMJC track and field travels to Austin, Texas to compete in the Texas Relays March 30-April 1.
"Texas relays is difficult to get anything done, everyone has to compete early in the morning, the meet is so large that all the athletes are rushed through," Blackwill said. "But if kids improve on the times from last week, it's a good meet."