Cold and rainy weather did not slow UTEP’s
Mickael Hanany on the final day of the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday.
Then again Hanany did not have to deal with the inclement weather outside. Conditions outdoors forced the special final of the high jump indoors, where Hanany
cleared 7-2 1/2 (2.20) to win the gold medal.
The rest of the Miners had to endure the damp chill looming over Drake Stadium. However, the unit competed as if it were a perfectly sunny day.
UTEP’s 400-meter relay of Yinka Bello, Daniel Ward, John Alipio and Churandy Martina collected the silver in the final. The Miners were nipped by C-USA rival
Houston 39.49 to 39.76.
Bello, Elias Koech, Dominic Kiprono Tanui and Ward went on to win the bronze in the 1,600-meter relay in a season-best and regional-qualifying time of 3:09.19.
The Miners had a pair of third and fourth-place finishes in the special final of the men’s and women’s 800-meter run.
Junior Fatimoh Muhammed and freshman Jenny Holmroos ran their first half mile of the season, posting regional times of 2:06.36 and 2:06.44. Holmroos’ time
is the sixth-fastest in school history.
In the men’s 800, Kiprono Tanui was timed in 1:49.75 and Koech crossed in 1:49.85.
Muhammed and Holmroos teamed with Olatunde Okusanya and Halimat Ismaila to run a season-best 1,600 relay. Okusanya split a 400 leg of 52.0 as the
Miners were timed in 3:38.31 to qualify for the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Freshman Oludamola Osayomi ran into a powerful head wind (minus 3.7 meters per second) and took fourth behind a strong 100-meter dash field in the meet’s
special final. Osayomi ran 11.90.
Sophomore Nina Schvedoff advanced to the finals of the hammer throw and placed seventh. Schvedoff had a best throw of 180-0 (54.87). Alina Joaca-Bine
was also 12th with a distance of 171-10 (52.37).
On Friday night, All-American Desiree Crichlow additionally recorded a third-place showing in the triple jump. Crichlow chalked up a distance of 40-11 3/4
(12.49).
|
|
