Track & Field Sets Standard in Preliminary Round at OEC Championships
The Riverside City College track and field program has been nothing short of dominant throughout the entire season. While competing against top programs in the country ranging from Division I, II, III, NAIA, and independent competitors, the Tigers have set the mark for excellence. As a program, they currently hold seven California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) pacing marks and 22 top-five times and marks.
The Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Track & Field Championships kicked off on Friday with the preliminary rounds hosted by Riverside at Wheelock Stadium. The Tigers boasted 19 first-place finishes with 11 coming from the men and eight from the women.
Alec Hall continued to impress by earning a set of top finishes. He snapped the tape in the 1500M with a mark of 4:19.77 and backed it with an 800M time of 1:55.84. Jeffery Robbins earned the top time in the 3000 Steeplechase with a clip of 9:44.41, while Austin Dai placed first in the 10,000M with a time of 32:20.08 to highlight the distance performances.
Dillon Lay recorded a 400 Hurdles mark of 14.96 to pace the field, while Anthony Butts earned a top showing in the 400M Hurdles with a time of 55.43. Jamal Parker placed first in the 100M with a time of 10.72, while Keanon Dennis blessed the track in the 200M with a mark of 21.55.
The field events went well as Justin Reed leaped to a 21' 10" in the Long Jump to take first place. Jordan Davis reigned supreme in the Shot Put with a clip of 47' 3.5", while Marco Gonzalez placed first in the Javelin with a chuck of 174' 9". He led the entire way.
For the women, Sarah Hollis was nothing to be messed with as she placed first in a pair of events. She began her day setting the state mark in the 3,000 Steeplechase with a mark of 11:31.21. She continued on to cross the finish line first in the 10,000M with a clip of 39:26.69. Nadia Benjamin earned the top spot in the 100M with a time of 12.44, while Maryjane Smith placed first in the 200M with a mark of 25.86.
Karen Orozco performed well in the Pole Vault by earning a mark of 9' 11.75" to place first. Angelique Hudson, who owns the top mark in the state in Shot Put, placed first once again with a toss of 45' 2.5". Valentina Sanabria worked towards a top showing in the Long Jump with a mark of 16' 11.25", while Gabriela Sanabria capped the field events with a first-place showing in the Javelin with a mark of 109' 2'.
The Tigers will hunt for the OEC Title on Friday, April 27th on the final day hosted at Wheelock Stadium.