Miners Win Four More Races on Final Day at Sun Angel Classic

4/10/2022 12:27:00 AM

SAC RESULTS

TEMPE, Ariz. – The UTEP track and field team concluded its first outdoor meet of the season as Loubna Benhadja (400m H), Maribel Caicedo (100m H), Jevaughn Powell (400m) and Kenneth Talavera (1500m) broke tape at the Sun Angel Classic hosted by Arizona State in Joe Selleh Track & Sun Angel Stadium on Saturday evening.

"We had multiple bright spots here at the Sun Angel Classic in our outdoor season opener," UTEP Head Coach Mika Laaksonen said. "I think the distance group had the most impressive start to their season over any other group. Even though we experienced a few minor setbacks today, this sets up a solid base to build on during the next few weeks, and to see how we perform against stiffer competition. We have a quick turnaround when we head to the West Coast to compete in Mt. SAC Relays."

Talavera took first in the men's 1500-meter race, clocking in a personal-best 3:49.18. Talavera's previous best was 3:50.20.

Talavera ran another personal best, this time in the men's 800-meter run, clocking in a 1:49.72. His previous best was 1:51.89.

Daniel Bernal finished second, clocking in a personal-best 3:49.76. Bernal edged out his previous best time of 3:49.77 while competing at Furman College.

Bernal and Talavera out distanced competition from Kansas and Iowa State and Arizona State.

Caicedo won the women's 100-meter hurdles and set a personal best for the second consecutive day, clocking in a 13.21 (-0.1). She beat out Arizona State's Kiera Christie-Galloway (13.34) and Iowa State's Kaylyn Hall (13.39). On Friday, Caicedo posted a 13.28 in the preliminaries. It was her first first-place finish in the event since April 17, 2021 at the Roadrunner Invitational.

Benhadja captured first place in the women's 400-meter hurdles, competing in her first career outdoor event. The freshman clocked in a 58.73 and was the lone competitor to post a time of under a minute. She outran Iowa State's Kaylyn Hall (1:00.24) and ASU's Ma'Kayla Dickerson (1:00.90).

Powell won his first collegiate 400-meter race, clocking in a personal-best 46.17. Powell's previous best was 46.76. He topped Arizona State's Justin Robinson (46.23) and Gamali Felix (46.28).

The women's 4x100-meter relay team finished second as Denae McFarlane, Oghenekaro Brume, Marissa Simpson and Caicedo posted a time of 46.01.

Roosa Yloenen finished in third with a 49.31-meter (161-9) throw in the women's javelin.

Ned Azemia placed third in the men's 400-meter hurdles, clocking in a 51.93.

The men's 4x100-meter relay team (Powell, Karon Dean, Jordani Woodley, Dennis Johnson) finished fourth with a time under 40 seconds (39.78).

Karoline Daland and Ruth Jerubet set personal bests in the women's 1500-meter race. Daland clocked in a 4:31.49, surpassing her previous best 4:45.19. Jerubet turned in a 4:28.58 after her previous best was a 4:32.04.

The men's 4x400-meter relay team capped the evening with a fourth-place showing. Ronaldo Griffiths, Powell, Stephen Carreto and Azemia clocked in a 3:13.74.

Overall, the Miners posted six first-place showings at the SAC. Jerubet and Bernal won their respective 3000-meter events on Friday that ignited the aforementioned "impressive start" by the distance runners this past weekend.

Other notable distance performances included Titus Cheruiyot's second-place finish in the 3000 (PR 8:13.21). Michael Sims recorded a personal best in the 1500, clocking in under four minutes (3:55.55) for the first time in his career.

UP NEXT
UTEP will compete at two events in California next weekend. The Miners will make the trip to Azusa to compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific, and Walnut, Calif., to take part in the Mt. SAC Relays. Both meets are April 14-16.

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