UTSA secures three gold, nine medals total at H-Town Speedcity Series II

UTSA+has+picked+up+seven+gold+medals+for+the+season+so+far.+

Triston Simpson

UTSA has picked up seven gold medals for the season so far.

Ryder Martin, Sports Editor

UTSA track and field was back in action on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30 for the second H-Town Speedcity Series meet of the season. UTSA enjoyed a very successful meet and finished with three gold medals and nine medals total for the meet. 

The women were in action for the first day of the meet, and UTSA enjoyed a number of standout performances. Chante Dixon, making her UTSA debut, took the first gold medal of the meet for UTSA in the women’s one-mile run, finishing with a time of 5:21.33, just edging out Macie Ellis from Houston by a little over a second. Dixon’s teammate Sofia Salinas won the bronze with a time of 5:44.18, and Julissa Farias finished fourth in the event in 5:58.87. 

Dixon and Salinas would be called back into action later in the day to compete in the Women’s Distance Medley, helping to secure UTSA’s second gold medal of the day with a winning time of 13:17.05. Finally, in the women’s shot put, Lacee Barnes won the bronze medal in the event with a throw of 14.70m, just missing the silver medal after the University of Houston’s Nu’uausala Tuilefano registered a throw of 14.97m on her final attempt. Barnes’ throw of 14.70m was a new personal best and also set a national record for the Cayman Islands. 

The men took to the field the following day and continued the strong start put forth by the women. First, Logan Masters brought home a bronze medal in the men’s 400-meter dash with a time of 49.83. Then, Jake Smith won a bronze medal in the men’s 3000-meter run with a time of 8:59.83. The men’s 60-meter hurdles were also a success as Gabriel Green secured the bronze with a time of 8.75. 

The men’s distance medley team would follow the women’s lead the day before and also take home the gold medal in the event. The team of Michael Paredes, Caleb Devereaux, Cameron Hudson and JD Corona won the final gold medal of the event for UTSA in a time of 11:20.55. In the men’s long jump, Christie Le Roux followed up his bronze medal at last week’s Aggie Invitational with a silver medal finish in this week’s meet with a jump of 7.15m. 

It was an overall strong meet for UTSA with strong contributions from a number of underclassmen. The three gold medals tied a season high for the team previously set at the first H-Town Speedcity Series meet. UTSA will next be in action on Feb. 6 in College Station for the Charlie Thomas Invitational.