Chambana Sun

The Illinois men's and women's track and field teams are preparing for their first road meet of the season at the Hoosier Horsepower Classic in Indianapolis. The event will take place at the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion, with field events starting at 8:30 a.m. and track events beginning at 10:20 a.m. CT on Saturday, January 18.

During the recent Fighting Illini Open, two school records were broken. Phethisang Makhethe set a new weight throw record with a distance of 22.28 meters (73-1 1/4), while Tacoria Humphrey achieved a long jump record of 6.78 meters (22-3). Humphrey's jump is currently leading both world and NCAA rankings and stands as the highest mark for an athlete from a Big Ten team, as well as setting a new UI Armory record. Makhethe's weight throw ranks second nationally.

In addition to these achievements, five other Illinois women's long jumpers hold top-10 marks in the NCAA this season. Sophia Beckmon is ranked second with her jump of 6.71 meters (22-0 1/4), followed by Darja Sopova in fourth place with 6.51 meters (21-4 1/4). Morgan Smalls is fifth with a leap of 6.49 meters (21-3 1/2), Elizabeth Ndudi ranks seventh with her mark of 6.42 meters (21-0 3/4), and Lucie Kienast holds the tenth spot with her jump of 6.33 meters (20-9 1/4).

On the men's side, Viktor Morozov achieved the nation's second-best long jump with his leap measuring 7.81 meters (25-7 1/2). Cody Johnston recorded the sixth-best pole vault in the nation by clearing a height of 5.43 meters (17-9 3/4).