Sarah Glidden Assistant Coach - Jumps and Combined Events | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Sarah Glidden Assistant Coach - Jumps and Combined Events | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois women's and men's track and field teams had a successful first day at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque. Three school records were broken by Phethisang Makhethe, Asia Thomas, and Rose Yeboah.
Asia Thomas ran the 200m in 23.21 seconds, surpassing Olympian Ashley Spencer's 13-year-old record of 23.24 seconds set in 2012. Her time is currently the 14th fastest nationally, which would qualify her for the NCAA Championships if the season ended today. She finished fourth in the event.
Rose Yeboah improved her own high jump record by one centimeter to reach 1.92 meters (6-3 1/2). This achievement places her third nationally, ahead of Elena Kulichenko from Georgia and Rachel Glenn from Arkansas. Yeboah secured second place in this competition.
Phethisang Makhethe also bettered her own school record in the weight throw with a distance of 22.52 meters (73-10 3/4), ranking as the seventh-furthest throw nationally this season. She placed second in today's event.
In other notable performances, Jackson Gilbert recorded the program's fourth-fastest time in the 200m with a second-place finish at 20.95 seconds, while Tadeas Placek achieved the program's tenth-fastest time in the 800m with a third-place finish at 1:49.28.
The Illinois track and field teams will continue their participation tomorrow at both the Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invitational in Boston and on the final day of the New Mexico Collegiate Classic.
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