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Davis

Davis, California

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Track and field has record-making debut

The UC Davis track and field squad wasted no time setting records this weekend at the Washington Husky Indoor Invitational in Seattle, Wash.

In the first competitive meet of the season, 14 different Aggies posted school records, highlighted by junior Jonathan Peterson’s time of 8:11.52 in the 3,000-meter race, breaking his previously held mark of 8:13.90.

“It was a very good meet and one of the better openers I have seen in a long time,” said men’s coach Jon Vochatzer. “Everyone there competed very well.”

Junior Thomas Phillips came in third in the 400-meter race with a time of 48.47, another school record.

“[Phillips] had just a really fine race,” Jon Vochatzer said.

Polly Gnepa tied his school record in the 60-meter hurdles coming in third-place, maintaining his time of 8.03.

In field events, Igor Seriba took first in the triple jump with total of 49-6.25.

On the women’s side, freshman Melanise Chapman set a school record in her first time competing with the Aggies. Chapman marked the 200-meter race with a time of 25.40 and came close to setting a school record in the 60-meter race, clocking in at 7.85.

“She’s going to be someone to look to in the future,” said women’s coach Deanne Vochatzer. “I won’t be surprised if she doesn’t set a school record in the 60-meter soon.”

Senior Chidinma Onyewuenyi moved into second place in the UC Davis record books with a shot put throw of 45-8.5.

This weekend marked the first meet for the Aggies of 2010 track and field season. The Aggies performed well despite not having as much practice as they would have liked due to weather conditions.

“When the sprinters are working at 100 percent of their speed, you take a great risk training in those conditions,” Deanne Vochatzer said.

To counteract the inability to practice outside, the coaches and athletes had to get out mats in the gym and train indoors.

The Aggies will be heading back up to Washington in two weeks to compete in another Washington Indoor Invitational.

MADELINE WEEKS can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.

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