Turner wins gold in Flagstaff, Campbell gets second in Houston

Luke Lawhorn

UTSA track & field split the team into two separate meets on Friday, with the track athletes traveling to Houston while the field athletes flew to Flagstaff, Arizona.

Flagstaff

Jack Turner won the men’s long jump event at the Lumberjack Team Challenge in Flagstaff. Teammate Joel McFarlane finished second, giving UTSA the 1-2 on the podium in the 14-man competition. 

Turner scratched on his first attempt but later managed a distance of 7.34 meters (24-1) on his second attempt. The third distance was 6.84m (22-5.25), though his second leap stood as the event’s furthest, deeming him the winner.

McFarlane had initially led the event, jumping 7.02m (23-0.5) on his first attempt. The Scottish native improved his distance to 7.25m (23-9.5) on his second and third attempts to finish firm at second.

Sigrid Kleive finished sixth in the women’s long jump with a distance of 1.65m (5-5).

Justin Wright was the only running participant in the Lumberjack Team Challenge. Wright would also finish sixth in the 60m hurdles, clocking a time of 8.87 in the prelim, then an 8.74 in the final.

Houston

The majority of the track team bussed down to the Yeoman Fieldhouse in Houston for the Robert Platt Invitational.

Campbell was the highest finisher for the Roadrunners, placing second in the men’s shot put. The UTRGV transfer threw a distance of 16.53m (54-2.75) on his opening throw. Campbell threw fouls on his next four attempts, though his opening distance would keep him in second place for the event.

Angel Robles and Paul Bouey also competed in the shot put event. Robles (16.06m/52-8.25) and Bouey (15.89m/52-1.75) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Distance runner Abby Balli also snagged a podium finish, claiming the bronze in the women’s mile race. Balli clocked a time of 5:03.01, while teammate Madison Henry crossed the finish with a time of 5:09.96, placing her ninth. 

Savanah Lopez also participated in the women’s mile, finishing with a time of 5:20.15.

Chuey Hernandez and Michael Paredes competed in the men’s 800m race. Chuey, a Baylor transfer, finished the half-mile in 2:00.26, landing him in 15th place, while Paredes finished with a 2:03.55 in 25th place.

The Roadrunners are also competing in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitation on Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico. UTSA will travel back to Houston next weekend for the Houston Invitational.