UTEP Miners

McFarlane, Simpson, Talavera turn in Career Efforts on Final Day at Don Kirby

2/11/2023 5:07:00 PM

FINAL RESULTS

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Kenneth Talavera won his third mile event of the season with a personal best, while Marissa Simpson and Denae McFarlane also turned in career bests as the UTEP track and field team wrapped up regular-season indoor competition on the final day at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational hosted by New Mexico in the Albuquerque Convention Center on Saturday afternoon.

"I was pleased with our final tune up. We were playing it safe with our student-athletes that traveled to this event and didn't want to take any chances a week before the conference indoor championships," UTEP Head Coach Mika Laaksonen said. "We got out of here healthy and with a few great performances. I believe both teams will head to Birmingham full of confidence after this weekend!"

Talavera clocked in a personal-best 4:06.33 to win his third mile race of the season. He's a perfect 3-for-3 this season in those events, while winning his fifth career mile overall. Talavera's converted time for altitude (4:00.97) ranks first in Conference USA.

Simpson turned in a great performance as she set her personal best with an 8.12 in the 60-meter hurdles finals. Simpson started the day with a then-personal-best 8.20 in the qualifying round. Her previous best was an 8.23 at the Texas Tech Corky Classic. Simpson's time (8.12) is third best in program history (Janice Jackson [2014] and Tobi Amusan [2017] each hold the record with a 7.98).

McFarlane opened with a first-place finish out of 75 competitors in the 60-meter dash qualifying round, clocking in a personal-best 7.41 to advance to the preliminaries. McFarlane was even better in the following round, as the junior hit another PR with a time of 7.37. Her new time would rank second in C-USA behind teammate Niesha Burgher (7.33). McFarlane's previous best was a 7.49 at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collegiate Invitational.

The women's 4x400-meter relay team continued its success, clocking in a 3:41.58 and placing fourth out of 17 relay teams. The Miners women's relay team composed of Oghenekaro Brume, Loubna Benhadja, Carshaylah Harrison and Burgher currently ranks first in C-USA with an altitude converted time of 3:41.84

UP NEXT
Following Saturday's final tune up, UTEP will compete at the 2023 Conference USA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Feb. 18-19 in Birmingham, Ala.

2023 UTEP INDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
Jan. 13-14       Texas Tech Corky Classic                                                        Lubbock, Texas
Jan. 21             Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collegiate Invitational                   Albuquerque, N.M.
Feb. 3-4           New Mexico Collegiate Classic                                               Albuquerque, N.M.
Feb. 10-11       Don Kirby Invitational                                                             Albuquerque, N.M.
Feb. 18-19       C-USA ITF Championships                                                       Birmingham, Ala.
March 10        NCAA ITF Championships                                                       Albuquerque, N.M.

For complete coverage of UTEP Track & Field/Cross Country, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPTrack (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.

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