JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The North Florida track and field team showed out on its home track for the first day of the UNF Invitational at Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium Friday, April 29. The Ospreys had six athletes place within the top-three spots highlighted by Tim Doyle,
Onix Ortiz Vazquez,
Mia McLain and
Tariq Lajoie all finishing as the overall runner-up in their respective events.
Nathan Jubran and
Robert Pedroza placed third in the 5000m and the 1500m race respectively.
There was also a vast amount of lifetime best marks, as well as season-best times, for the Ospreys with six Ospreys earning personal-bests and three athletes reaching a season-best.
Hannah Martin had an incredible night as well after she broke her lifetime best mark in the 5000m invite race by almost a minute.
The UNF Invite had some notable moments during the meet as well with a new facility record set by Charles McBride II from Campbell with a jump of 2.20m. Six-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse also ran in the men's 200m dash and grabbed first with a time of 20.67 for the Tumbleweed Track Club.
IN THE FIELD
- Lajoie hit a season-best mark of 2.05m in the men's high jump on his first attempt, which also matches the best jump of his career.
- He grabbed second place for the third time this outdoor season, matching his placements at both the Knights Invite and the Florida Relays.
ON THE TRACK
Men's Races
- Doyle was the top Osprey of seven UNF runners in the 1500m with a time of 3:46.94 to grab second overall in the race.
- Pedroza placed third right behind Doyle notching 3:48.13, while Aiden Arnold and Gavin O'Brien both had top-15 times at 3:51.30 and 3:53.35 respectively.
- Jubran posted an impressive time in the 5000m invite with a season-best time of 14:25.64, along with Seth Martinez also finishing in the top five at 14:35.08 for a new lifetime best.
- Justin Tackling and Thomas Weiler rounded out the group in the 5000m race to finish with sub-15 minute times inside the top 20.
- Ortiz recorded a personal-best time of 9:25.68 in the 3000m steeplechase to earn his best finish of the season at second place, while Simon DeVoss also grabbed sixth in the race at 9:45.75.
- Ryan Thomas placed 12th in the men's 400m hurdles with a time of 55.58, which was just shy of his season-best.
Women's Races
- Emma Jane Schlageter finished first in her heat and eighth overall in the 1500m race clocking in a time of 4:39.69, which is her second-best time this season.
- McLain clocks in at 10:52.16 to grab second place in the 3000m steeplechase, which is a lifetime best mark and her first sub-11 minute time in the race.
- Camryn Cooney also grabbed seventh place in her second steeplechase race of the year with a time of 11:29.62.
- Erica Fisher also had a strong race in 19th place for the 1500m with a time of 4:49.49 and Leah Pelham also had a top-40 finish at 5:03.22.
- Martin lead the group of four Ospreys in the 5000m invite race with a 12th-place finish notching a time of 17:46.16, which crushes her personal-best time by almost a full minute.
- Billie Castillo and Raquel Lespasio also had strong races inside the top 20 for the 5000m race, while Isa Leen went right behind the two in 22nd.
- Celine D'Anna finished 21st at 1:05.68 in the women's 400m hurdles, which just edged out her personal-best time.
- Shawna Woodall also raced in the 200m dash for the fifth time this season with a time of 27.99.
PIGG'S THOUGHTS
NEXT UP
The UNF track and field teams will wrap up their final meet day of the regular season before starting preparations for the ASUN Outdoor Championship from May 12-14. They will compete in the women's high jump, 400m, 800m, and men's 5000m.
The Ospreys will also honor nine senior athletes before the meet starts on Saturday in Hodges Stadium at 11:30 am.
