UTEP’s Bright & Koncos Highlights Day 1 at the C-USA Indoor Championships

UTEP Miners

Day 1 Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Chantoba Bright leaped out to a personal-best 6.22m, claiming gold in the women's long jump, and Karol Koncos won gold in the men's weight throw as the UTEP track and field squad completed the first day at the Conference USA Indoor Championships on Saturday afternoon in the Birmingham CrossPlex.

Koncos and Rice's Nick Hicks each recorded a mark of 19.35m, but Koncos's second best hurl was 19.22m, edging out Hick's 19.04m toss. Bright beat out Rice's Michelle Fokam who recorded a 6.19m jump.

"Karol came in as favorite and had a rough start, but his best throw was his last and second best was second to last throw. He got it done at the end there," UTEP Head Coach Mika Laaksonen said. "For Chantoba, it's the first of many conference wins. She's that type of athlete."

After day one, the UTEP women are ranked sixth with 14 points, as Rice leads the way with 38 points. The Miner men are ranked fifth with 25 points, while Charlotte is on top with 52.

"We still have a lot of bullets in the chamber so-to-speak to hit the target for tomorrow's events," Laaksonen said. "We set a lot of personal records today and I'd like to see that tomorrow too. I'm looking for the athletes to compete hard on Sunday and that's all I can ask for."

In the men's 5000m run, Titus Cheruiyot placed second with a 14:08.80, finishing behind Middle Tennessee's Jacob Choge (14:07.32). Rodgers Korir placed ninth (14:36.48).

Markiet Loggins Jr. recorded a personal-best 2.00m in the men's high jump, placing fourth and getting five points for the Miners.

Maribel Caicedo registered a personal-best 8.26, while it was the top time in the women's 60m hurdles prelims. Caicedo also qualified for the 60m dash finals after posting a personal best time of 7.58.

Samantha Cordier recorded a personal-best 18.17m in the women's weight throw, finishing seventh.

Sean Bailey clocked in a 47.43 in the men's 400m dash. He and Charlotte's Jayon Woodard each posted the top times in the preliminaries.

Bailey registered a personal best in the men's 200m dash with a time of 21.43, good for second place in the preliminaries. James Flournoy also qualified, posting a time of 21.64 (eighth place).

Kenneth Talavera qualified with a time of 4:15.29 in the men's mile preliminaries.

Shakeem Smith placed second (8.08) in the men's 60m hurdles, qualifying for the finals on Sunday.

Carolyne Chepkosgei clocked in a 2:13.57, good for second in the women's 800m run and qualifying for Sunday's final.

Linda Cheruiyot finished seventh in the women's 5000m run, clocking in a 17:22.21.

The championships will resume Sunday morning with the remaining heptathlon events commencing at 9 a.m. CT. The field events begin at 11 a.m. followed by the remainder of the running finals at 1 p.m. Day two will be livestreamed on CUSA.tv for free until ESPN+ converge kicks off at 2 p.m.

LINKS
CUSA TV
ESPN+

Day One Results
Day Two Heat Sheets

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