UTEP’s Morais sets javelin meet record on opening day of CUSA championships

EL PASO, TX – Arianne Morais won gold, throwing her javelin 56.53 meters (185-5) and setting a new championship record on the first day of the 2024 Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by UTEP on Larry K. Durham Track at Kidd Field on Friday. .

Morais defended her title by hitting her mark on the third throw to beat the previous record of 56.45 meters set by fellow minor Erma Gene Evans in 2007. Morais won gold at last year’s Championships in Denton. Morais scored 10 points in Friday’s win.

Jalen Cadet shined from day one, winning a bronze medal in the men’s long jump with a jump of 7.36 meters (24-1.75). Cadet also collected 3,972 points in the decathlon and will take a 515-point lead into Saturday’s final decathlon events. Liberty’s Anthony Bryan is in second place with 3,457 points.

The cadets opened the competition with a victory in the 100 meters with a decathlon personal best of 10.60, while also winning the 400m (51.24), high jump (1.99m (6-6, 25)) and the long jump (7.22 m (23 -8.25)). The cadet finished second in the shot put (11.93 m (39-1.75)).

The cadets totaled eight points – six points in the long jump final and two more in the javelin final.

Atiq Muhammad won his first medal as a minor as the two-sport athlete won silver in the men’s long jump. Muhammad, also a cornerback on the UTEP football team, cleared a personal best 7.41 yards (24-3.75) and scored eight points.

Sandra Maiyo collected 10 points and a gold medal in the women’s 10,000-meter final by clocking 35:25.01 and beating NM State’s Emily Stutesman (35:51.51).

Titus Cheruiyot finished in third place in the men’s 10,000 meters and collected six points. Cheruiyot clocked 31:56.53.

In the men’s shot put, Aleks Hristov and two-sport athlete Maurice Westmoreland combined for nine points in the event. Hristov finished in fourth place (five points) with a personal best throw of 16.68 meters (54-8.75), while Westmoreland placed fifth (four points) with a throw of 16.03 m (52 -7.25).

Oleksandr Blonskyi finished the first day of the decathlon in third place with 3,425 points. He finished second in the high jump (1.93 m) and the 400 meters (52.15).

On Friday, the preliminaries for the track events also took place. Xavier Butler shone with a 10.09 (3.6) and first overall in the men’s 100 meter preliminaries while his teammate Oriade Rashid qualified with a 10.19 (4.0) and seventh overall general. Both will compete in the 100m final on Sunday at 7:05 p.m.

On the women’s side in the 100m, Niesha Burgher left her competition in the dust, with a time of 11.10 (2.9) and a first place overall. Rejoice Sule also qualified for Sunday’s final after clocking 11.30 (4.4) and placed fourth overall. The duo will face off in the final on Sunday at 7:10 p.m.

In the preliminary hurdles, Jordani Woodley and Marissa Simpson advanced to the finals of their respective events. Woodley clocked 13.63 (2.9) to finish second overall and will race Sunday at 6:35 p.m. Simpson posted a preliminary best time of 12.95 (2.9) to qualify for the final on Sunday at 6:40 p.m.

In the men’s 400 meters, Julio Pacheco Estrada clocked 46.66 and finished in first place overall. Joshua Hill clocked 48.53 to also qualify for Sunday’s final at 6:50 p.m.

In the women’s 400m, Princess Uche clocked 55.03 (third overall) while Zani Meaders clocked 55.86. Both will compete in the 400m final on Sunday at 6:55 p.m.

UPDATED NOTES

Sam Houston leads on the men’s side with 48 points, while Liberty is second with 42. UTEP has tallied 31 points and currently leads LA Tech by 10 (21 points). WKU (19), FIU (15) and Middle Tennessee (8) round out the order.

On the women’s side, NM State leads with 35 points. Middle Tennessee is second with 28 points, Liberty third with 27 points and UTEP fourth with 25. FIU (23), LA Tech (9), Sam Houston (8) and Jax State (1) round out the order.

ON DECK FOR SATURDAY

The combined events will end from 9 a.m. with the 110 meter hurdles decathlon followed by the disc decathlon at 9:45 a.m. The field events will begin at 3 p.m. with the men’s hammer, while the track events will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the 800-meter race.

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