KINGSVILLE, Texas — The UTSA track & field teams broke five meet records, including two by Alanah Yukich, and won eight events at the Cactus Cup on Saturday at Javelina Stadium.
At a meet that was suspended for several hours due to severe weather, the Roadrunners piled up 19 total podium finishes in their first competition in two weeks, 10 by the women and nine on the men's side. Yukich won a pair of races in record-setting fashion, while Marilis Remmel, Jack Turner and Mike Roth also broke meet records. That group was joined in the winner's circle by Bashiru Abdullahi, Michael Campbell and Thennelle Williams.
In her first race of the day, Yukich took down the Cactus Cup standard in the women's 100-meter hurdles. The Australian sped to a time of 13.76 seconds for a comfortable victory ahead of runner-up Uxia Pereira of UTRGV (14.10), breaking the meet record of 13.90 set by Angelo State's Bree Bennett in 2011.
Yukich returned to the track shortly after that record-setting performance with quite the encore. The reigning Conference USA 400m hurdles champion clocked a 54.91 to win the 400m nearly one full second ahead of UIW's Kallie Morrison (55.89) and take down the meet record of 55.63 that was registered by Texas' Chantel Malone in 2008.
Remmel got the day started off on the right foot by leading a 1-2 UTSA finish in the women's javelin throw. The junior from Estonia improved her own school record with a meet-record toss of 48.76 meters (160-0), while Sigrid Kleive was second with a 40.16m (131-9) throw. Remmel's measurement today bettered the school standard of 47.65m (156-4) that she established two years ago at the Alumni Muster and also eclipsed the meet mark of 44.59m set by Angelo State's Barbara Rivera in 2018.
Turner turned in a career showing in the men's long jump to join the record setters on Saturday. The England native leaped to a personal-best distance of 7.79m (25-6.75) for first ahead of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Sean Majors (7.58m/24-10.5) and teammate Joel McFarlane, who was third (7.52m/24-8.25). A five-time conference champion in the multi events, he moved into a tie for fourth on UTSA's all-time performers list while breaking the previous meet record of 7.53m set by Angelo State's Trevor Rodgers in 2011.
Roth raced to a meet record in the men's 400m, circling the oval in 46.73 to claim gold by more than a second ahead of UTRGV's Jaqualand Fields (48.12). The sophomore from Canada erased the previous meet standard by more than a second, as well, beating Luis Perez's previous mark of 47.92 posted in 2015. Late Saturday night, the 2023 C-USA Indoor High Point Scorer added a bronze medal in the 200m in 21.18.
Before the weather delay, Abdullahi raced to a win in the men's 110m hurdles. The All-American and school record holder clocked a 13.65 for first ahead of Texas A&M-Kingsville's Ja'Qualon Scott (13.71).
Later in the evening, Thennelle Williams posted a narrow victory in the women's 100m with a time of 11.84. The 2022 C-USA Outdoor Freshman of the Meet nipped UTRGV's Aisha Gay (11.85) at the finish line by one one-hundredth of a second.
In the field, Michael Campbell paced a strong showing by the UTSA throwers in the men's shot put. The transfer from UTRGV measured 17.63m (57-10.25) to claim top honors and move into the No. 4 spot on the program's all-time performers chart. Jabari Bennett finished third with a mark of 16.79m (55-1), while Paul Bouey and Angel Robles placed fourth (16.79m/55-1) and fifth (16.16m/53-0.25), respectively.
Bouey also placed third in the discus with a throw of 47.94m (157-3) and Turner added a runner-up finish in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.70m (15-5).
In the women's throwing events, Acacia Astwood logged a runner-up showing in the hammer throw with a season best 53.71m (176-2). Zoe Shanklin also claimed silver in the shot put with a mark of 14.29m (46-10.75), whileIsabella Simonelli collected bronze in the discus with a throw of 43.51m (142-9).
In other action, Maren Wilms leaped to a runner-up measurement of 5.65m (18-6.5) in the women's long jump and Sarah Bell crossed third in the 400m hurdles in 1:06.00.
The Roadrunners will travel to Houston for the J. Fred Duckett Twilight next Friday-Saturday, April 21-22.
Cactus Cup
Saturday, April 14
Kingsville, Texas
UTSA Results
Men
100 Meters
6. Dennis Phillips 10.58
20. Lirim Emerllahu 11.18
23. Zachary Perkins 11.25
200 Meters
3. Mike Roth 21.18
13. Lirim Emerllahu 22.29
18. Noah Rhodes 22.46
19. Joel McFarlane 22.50
24. Zachary Perkins 22.91
25. Gabriel Green 22.93
400 Meters
1. Mike Roth 46.73M
10. Logan Masters 49.39
11. Noah Rhodes 49.47
110-Meter Hurdles
1. Bashiru Abdullahi 13.65
11. Joel McFarlane 15.25
400-Meter Hurdles
4. Gabriel Green 54.04
Pole Vault
2. Jack Turner 4.70m (15-5)
- Joel McFarlane NH
Long Jump
1. Jack Turner 7.79mM (25-6.75)
3. Joel McFarlane 7.52mw (24-8.25)
14. Gabriel Binion 6.28m w (20-7.25)
16. Justin Wright 5.95mw (19-6.25)
Shot Put
1. Michael Campbell 17.63m (57-10.25)
3. Jabari Bennett 16.79m (55-1)
4. Paul Bouey 16.79m (55-1)
5. Angel Robles 16.16m (53-0.25)
Discus Throw
3. Paul Bouey 47.94m (157-3)
6. Jack Turner 43.22m (141-9)
12. Justin Wright 31.22m (102-5)
- Michael Campbell FOUL
Women
100 Meters
1. Thennelle Williams 11.84
200 Meters
7. Ibiso David-West 25.48
20. Amanda Esparza 26.48
26. Sarah Bell 27.13
27. Kaylyn Landry 27.53
400 Meters
1. Alanah Yukich 54.91M
9. Ibiso David-West 58.79
13. Amanda Esparza 59.23
18. Kaylyn Landry 1:01.69
100-Meter Hurdles
1. Alanah Yukich 13.76M
4. Ayumi Kobayashi 14.35
6. Sigrid Kleive 15.12
12. Maren Wilms 16.14
400-Meter Hurdles
3. Sarah Bell 1:06.00
High Jump
4. Maren Wilms 1.60m (5-3)
Long Jump
2. Maren Wilms 5.65m (18-6.5)
Shot Put
2. Zoe Shanklin 14.29m (46-10.75)
10. Amaya King 12.72m (41-8.75)
17. Maren Wilms 9.75m (32-0)
Discus Throw
3. Isabella Simonelli 43.51m (142-9)
Hammer Throw
2. Acacia Astwood 53.71m (176-2)
- Isabella Simonelli FOUL
Javelin Throw
1. Marilis Remmel 48.76mM (160-0)
2. Sigrid Kleive 40.16m (131-9)
-UTSA-
