After winning two event titles on Feb. 4, Texas A&M men’s and women’s track and field teams added four more titles on the next day to cap off a historic weekend at the Charlie Invitational.
A&M women’s 5,000-meter runners took control of their event on Day 1 by having two runners make the all-time list in their event, with two more runners finishing right behind them.
Senior Julia Black finished in first with a time of 16:45.10, making her the 11th fastest Aggie in school history. Right behind her was Senior Abbey Santoro, who finished second in the 5,000m with a time of 16:47.03, making her the 12th fastest in school history.
Day 2 had seven Aggies make the all-time list, six from running events and one in high jump.
Freshman Bára Sajdoková recorded a personal best 5-11.5/1.82m at the high jump event, placing her ninth in the Aggies’ all-time list.
As for the running events, one of the Aggies who made the list has been seen running past athletes on a football field rather than a track. In his season debut, sophomore Devon Achane clocked in a 6.71 in the 60m to become the 11th fastest Aggie all-time to do so.
A&M coach Pat Henry said he was pleased with Achane’s performance in the 60m, despite struggling in the prelims, which occurred before the record-breaking time.
“To open the season running 6.71, that’s getting after it,” Henry said. “Devon [Achane] did OK in the prelims, but he was last out of the blocks in the finals.”
In the other short-distance events, Junior Tierra Robinson-Jones recorded a 52.23 in the women’s 400m, ranking her seventh in the all-time list, and Freshman Bailey Goggans recorded a 2:08.72 in the women’s 800m, making her the 10th fastest Aggie to do so.
As for distance runners, 5th year Annie Fuller finished first in the mile, fourth all-time, with a time of 4:47.47. Freshman Gemma Goddard completed the women’s 3,000m at a personal best of 9:27.87, placing her fourth on the all-time list.
Henry said it’s good to see their younger and older runners set personal bests in their long-distance events.
“That shows some youth, which is a good thing,” Henry said. “I’m pleased with that kind of environment on our team.”
Last but not least, Senior Gavin Hoffpauir clocked in at 4:05.08 in the men’s mile run, making him the 10th fastest runner all-time in the event.
Half of the A&M track and field team will travel to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Don Kirby Elite Invitational on Feb. 11-12, while the other half — mid-distance and distance runners — travels to Nashville, Tenn., to compete at the Indoor Music City Challenge on Feb. 11-12.