NMJC hits track qualifying marks

The defending national champion New Mexico Junior College women's indoor track and field team picked up right where it left off last season as the Lady Thunderbirds got the season started over the weekend with a trip to Albuquerque for the UNM-MLK Invitational.

In Albuquerque, NMJC scored 17 national qualifying times with three athletes qualifying in multiple events.

Leading the way for the Lady T-Birds were Esther Gitahi, Teresha Jacobs, and Kristal Liburd. Gitahi and Jacobs both qualified for nationals in the 800-meters and the mile while Liburd qualified in the long jump and the triple jump. Gitahi finished the 800 in 2:17.62 while Jacobs had a time of 2:23.56. In the mile, Gitahi ran a 5:02,62 and Jacobs finished with a time of 5:21.57. Liburd had a jump of 18-feet, 4.25 inches in the long jump and 37-feet, 6.5 inches in the triple jump.

New Mexico Junior College had 11 qualifying times in the running events and six in the field events.

Trishawna Crawford qualified in the 60-meters with a time of 7.67 seconds. Raheema Westfall

(25.09 seconds) and Shian Hyde (25.24 seconds) both qualified in the 200-meters. Erin Sermons (1:37.60) and D'Jai Baker (1:37.94) both qualified in the 600-meters. Joining Gitahi and Jacobs as an 800-meter qualifier was Sharon Jerono with a time of 2:23.56. The Lady T-Birds also qualified their 4x400 relay with a time of 3:59.37.

The triple jump was where NMJC had the most success over the weekend as three individuals qualified for nationals. Joining Liburd with a qualifying jump was Cathilee Mullings and Akor Maywin. Mullings jumped 37-feet, 10.5 inches while Maywin cleared 37-feet, 1 inch. Pricille Guerin earned a spot in the pole vault, making it over 10-feet, 4.75 inches while Bristol O'Conner had a throw of 41-feet, 7.25 inches in the shot put to earn a spot at nationals.

The Lady T-Birds will be back in action this weekend when they head to Lubbock for the Texas Tech Red and Black Open.