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Niesha 22.39
Daniel Maes

UTEP’s Burgher Shatters Own 200 Record with a 22.39 at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational Friday Evening

2/14/2025 9:17:00 PM


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – UTEP track and field's Niesha Burgher must love the indoor track at the Albuquerque Convention Center on this Valentine's Day. The senior sprinter clocked in a new personal record and school-standard 22.39 in the 200-meter dash on the first day of competition at the 2025 Don Kirby Elite Invitational hosted by New Mexico on Friday evening. 
 
Burgher turned in another record-setting performance for the second time in three weeks at the indoor facility. Her previous best time was a 22.79 at the New Mexico Team Open on Jan. 31. Burgher's indoor 200 time is also the current world's best. 
 
 
Burgher placed first of 15 sprinters while she finished ahead of Oregon's Jadyn Mays (22.57), who earned bronze at last year's NCAA ITF Championships. Burger's time tops current NCAA leader TCU's Indya Mayberry (22.41). The senior's previous best time (22.79) ranked first in Conference USA and fourth nationally. UCF's Aurieyall Scott is the CUSA record holder (CUSA Championship meets only) with 22.91 at the 2013 CUSA ITF Championships.
 
"Obviously, the performance of the day was Niesha Burgher's new school record in 200, she's number one time in the nation," UTEP Director of Track & Field Mika Laaksonen said. "Addison Stricklin had the freshman performance of the day for us with her new big 200 PB (personal best). Otherwise, it was a bit bumpy today. But I am expecting more personal records tomorrow!"
 
Addison Stricklin keeps improving in her young collegiate career. The freshman turned in a personal-best time of 23.79 in the 200-meter dash unseeded event. Stricklin finished sixth overall out of 101 competitors. Her previous best was 24.01 while ranking fourth in CUSA heading into the weekend. 
 
Loubna Benhadja clocked in a season-best 54.68 in the women's 400-meter dash, improving from 55.21. Benhadja ranked ninth in CUSA but anticipates a move into the top five with her new time. 
 
LSU transfer Praise Djoma leaped an indoor personal-best 5.65 meters (18-6.5) in the women's long jump. She finished 24th out of 81 jumpers. 
 
Samoya Neil leaped 5.76 meters (18-10.75), placing 18th in the long jump. The transfer entered the weekend ranked first in the event with a 5.90-meter (19-4.25) mark. 
 
ON THE STARTING BLOCK
Saturday's field events will commence at 9 a.m. MST, and then the gun goes off for the running events at 9:30 a.m.
 
DON KIRBY ELITE INVITATIONAL INFORMATION:
Schedule | Live Results | Stream: FloTrack
 
2025 UTEP INDOOR/OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE
 
 
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