With the outdoor season approaching, a few Aggies were able to make their mark and bring home a souvenir in their last indoor track meet of the season.
Texas A&M track and field traveled to Birmingham, Ala., on March 11 for its final indoor meet of the season and brought back three event national titles, along with a fifth-place finish for the men’s track and field team.
Sophomore high jumper Lamara Distin won the first national title in her event with a high jump of 6-3.5/1.92m, which she failed at clearing on her first two attempts. This jump tied her personal best and secured A&M’s women’s team 10 points toward its final score.
The second national title came from sophomore runner Brandon Miller who ran a 1:47.19 in the men’s 800-meter. The St. Louis native took off at the sound of the gunshot and didn’t look back as he completed his first 400-meter at 52.57 and completed his last 400 at 54.62. This is the first time in A&M history in which an Aggie won the national title in the 800.
A&M coach Pat Henry said Miller’s confidence ultimately set him apart from the other runners.
“It’s obvious to see how special of a guy he is,” Henry said. “There were some people trying to disrupt the race, but he was smart enough to get out in front of all that. You run to win, and that’s what he did.”
Miller continued his success on the track by joining three other Aggies to secure their last event national title for the weekend. The quartet of sophomores Omajuwa Etiwe, Chevannie Hanson and Miller, and freshman Emmanuel Bamidele clocked in a 3:04.16 to take home the men’s 4×400 national title.
Henry said he was extremely proud of the 4×400 team, especially Bamidele, who secured the first-place finish in their final lap of the race at 45.58.
“For a freshman to run 45-seconds in the open quarter is pretty special; there are not many freshmen running that fast,” Henry said. “He looked really good in the relay. The group just competed, won the second heat and it ended up being the best thing we could possibly do, and we ran the best we have all season.”
The men’s track and field team secured 26 points for the Aggies and a fifth place finish to end the NCAA Indoor Championships.
A&M track and field’s outdoor season begins on March 18 as the team travels to Tempe, Ariz., to compete in the Baldy Castillo Invitational at Sun Angel Stadium.