T-Bird (M-T&F) Breaks 4 Records

The NMJC men's track and field team competed Feb. 14-15 at the Jarvis Scott Open in Lubbock, Texas.

NMJC ended the weekend with 13 improved qualifiers and two new national qualifiers.

Bovel McPherson shattered the 400m school record on Friday night breaking the 46 second barrier for the first time ever during the indoor season. The 45.93 time took down Donald Chiyangwa's 400m record of 46.10 set in 2023. The sophomore remains ranked No.1 in the NJCAA with the finish.

Freshman Romain Toth set the 800m school record with a finish of 1:51.06. Toth breaks Evans Pololet's 2023 time of 1:51.84. The Frenchman's improved qualifying time is No. 4 in the NJCAA for the event. 

Thrower Josh Sweetnam broke the school record in the shot put with a throw of 16.51m on Saturday. The previous record holder was Djimon Gumbs who threw 16.02m in 2020. Sweetnam's throw was a .58m PR and is No. 8 in the NJCAA.

Vaulter Samuel Ospina bettered his own indoor pole vault school record of 5.07m by clearing 5.11m. The improved qualifying time is No. 1 in the NJCAA by .36m.

Freshman Benjamin Nsiah ran a 46.53 to upgrade his national standard in the 400 by .32 seconds. Nsiah remains second in JUCO behind his teammate McPherson.

David Nyamufarira nationally qualified in the 200m this weekend after nursing a hamstring issue the last few weeks. The Zimbabwean ran a 21.07 in the race to rank No. 5 in the NJCAA for the event.  

Jumper Johnathon Rodgers bettered his long jump mark by .17m to leap 7.37m. Rodgers moves to No. 7 in the NJCAA for the event. Joao Dalandrea stepped up again this week improving his national standard in the weight throw by .47m. Dalandrea threw 16.55m to rank No. 8 in the NJCAA.  

Sophomore sprinter Ezekiel Newton narrowly improved his national qualifying time in the 60m with a finish of 6.72. Newton ranks No. 11 in JUCO for the event. Adolf Kauba competed in the 600Y and posted a time of 1:10.81. The finish converted to 1:19.31 which improved his national qualifying position to No. 11 in the NJCAA.

Chevoney Reid met the national standard in the 400m with a time of 47.67 to rank No. 16 in JUCO. Alexandre Fablet improved on his national qualifying time in the 3000m with a finish of 8:24.37. Fablet now ranks No. 16 in the NJCAA for the event.

Cyprien Bille slightly improved by .14 seconds in the 1000m to post a 2:30.85. The time is No. 26 in the NJCAA. Erwan Darrieulat was another improved qualifier for the T-Birds. Darrieulat finished with a time of 1:55.30 and comes in at No. 38 in junior college.  

The mile relay squad of Benjamin Nsiah, Chevoney Reid, Bovel McPherson, and Raheim Scott recorded a 3:07.66 finish to improve on their qualifying time by 5.25 seconds. The finish is now No. 2 in the NJCAA for the 4x400m.

The Thunderbirds remain at No. 3 in the USTFCCCA Track & Field Men's Rating Index.

The T-Birds will have a small home meet Feb. 22-23 at Ross Black Track before they prepare for the 2025 NJCAA Track & Field Championships in Lubbock, Texas March 7-8 at the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center.