The Texas A&M men’s and women’s track and field teams won 10 events as Tyra Gittens set a school record in the heptathlon Saturday at E.B. Cushing Stadium in front of over 1,200 fans.
The Aggies recorded nearly 20 personal bests, won 10 events and set four A&M all-time top-12 marks at the first outdoor meet hosted by A&M since April 27, 2019. Gittens finished with a school record of 6,274 points, bettering her previous school record by 200 points to currently lead the NCAA. They also set five facility records to set them up for next week’s meet as Baylor hosts the Michael Johnson Classic.
In the first day of competition, Gittens had 3,869 points including an all-conditions personal best 100-meter hurdles time of 13.14 (w/+3.5), a leap of 1.82m/5-11.5 in the high jump, a throw of 12.85m/42-2 in the shot put, and a win in the 200-meter with a all-conditions personal best time of 23.33 (w/4.4).
“Tyra is the finest athlete that has been on this campus ever,” A&M coach Pat Henry told 12thman.com. “It’s early in the year, but she looks great.”
Gittens followed on Day 2 of the meet with a win in the javelin with a throw of 125-1/38.13m and placed second in the 800-meter at 2:28.52.
The women’s 4×400-meter made up of Tierra Robinson-Jones, Syaira Richardson, Charokee Young and Athing Mu ran a facility record time of 3:26.73, which is the fourth fastest in program history and the fastest all-time in a non-championship meet.
A&M placed five Aggies in the top six of the men’s 800-meter, which saw Brandon Miller run a personal best and facility record time of 1:48.25, currently No. 2 in the SEC. Carlton Orange came in second with a season best time of 1:48.40 and Moitalel Mpoke finished third with a time of 1:49.07.
“You have a freshman that won the 800-meter tonight with a personal best 1:48.25,” Henry told 12thman.com. “Brandon is the kind of guy that if it would’ve taken 1:46, he would’ve won it.”
Devin Dixon finished fifth at 1:51.89 and Caden Norris ran a personal best of 1:51.91 to place sixth.
Connor Schulman won the 110-meter hurdles with a wind-legal time of 14.00, which broke the previous facility record by .64 seconds.
Lamara Distin won the women’s high jump at 6-0/1.83m, which bettered the facility record set the day before by teammate Gittens at 1.82m/5-11.5.
The men’s 4×100-meter relay made up of Ryan Martin, Lance Broome, Jace Comick and Emmanuel Yeboah won the event with a time of 39.91.
Richardson claimed the women’s 400-meter event title with a season-best time of 52.42.
Sean Clarke placed second in the pole vault at 17-9/5.41m, making him the eighth best pole vaulter in Aggie history. Alessio Pirruccio placed fourth in the men’s hammer throw with a toss of 185-8/56.60m which is fifth best in Aggie history.
The Aggies are scheduled to compete at the Michael Johnson Classic beginning Friday, April 16-17, at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium in Waco.