OUTDOOR Track & Field: Wallizada Leads Men to Sweep in 10,000m, Ospreys Open Spring Season

Thursday, March 16

Jacksonville, Fla.

All Day

University of North Florida

River City Classic

Photo by: Brock Borgeson

OUTDOOR Track & Field: Wallizada Leads Men to Sweep in 10,000m, Ospreys Open Spring Season

3/16/2023 11:00:00 PM | Men's Track

Event Results

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Cool winds accompanied the North Florida men's track and field team, as it highlighted the outdoor season debut on the home course at Visit Jax Track in Hodges Stadium on Thursday evening. The Osprey men went for personal-best times in several athletic events including the 200m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m and the 10,000m.

Kameron Wallizada took first-place in the 10,000m as one of three Ospreys to finish in the top three to close out the event. The sophomore paced the Ospreys across the finish line in with a top time of 30:50.51, followed by the freshmen, Paul Lespasio & Cole Perry.

Sophomore Justin Tackling paced with the group, as he earned a top-10 mark in sixth overall for the Ospreys in the 10k. Several other Ospreys heightened the success of the opening day of the outdoor season with multiple top-place finishes.

FINISH LINE

Ryan Thomas started the stellar day going second overall in the men's 400m hurdles.
Thomas notched a time of 55.47 in the race.
Jordan Travieso kept the pace going after competing in the men's 200m dash. He ended up earning a personal-best mark of 23.38 in the race.
Mac Franks ran an exceptional race pacing behind the flock and slowly made his way to the front to earn the first-place title for the Ospreys.
Robert Pedroza fought competitively in the men's 1500m as well, snatching the second-place title overall in the race.
Aiden Arnold rounded out the group with a strong finish in third overall for the men's 1500m, a personal best/
Timothy Doyle, Aidan O'Gorman, Jared Vazquez and Ryan Douihech all went for top seven ranks as well. The latter two also tallied personal bests.
Luke Clements ran well in the men's 3000m steeplechase with an outstanding personal pace of 9:20 to earn first.
Onix Ortiz posted a great effort in the men's 3000m steeplechase alongside Clements, grabbing a top-four ranking in the steeplechase.
Wallizada took first overall in the men's 10k, followed with Lespasio & Perry filling out the top three.
Justin Tackling rounded out the group inside the top six.

PIGG'S POINTS

"Ryan [Thomas] had a nice opener in the 400mH, considering he has been sick. The guys in the 1500m all worked together and gave us a nice outdoor opener. It will be fun to see how we progress over the next few weeks. Kameron [Wallizada] won with a great 60 seconds over the last 400m. These guys work their tails off constantly. They are humble, respectful and are hungry. I'm happy for them and so proud of those guys. It was Paul [Lespasio]'s first collegiate race and what a way to start his career."
-- head coach Jeff Pigg