PITTSBURG, Kan. – It was a record-breaking day for the NIACC men’s track and field team as a total of three school records fell on Friday.
NIACC freshman Melvin Kipkemboi placed seventh in the 3,000-meter run Friday night in a school record time of 8 minutes, 36.85 seconds. He shattered the old record of 8:44 by Trent Smith at the Cornell Invitational on Feb. 10, 2013.
Earlier in the day on Friday, Kipkemboi placed third in the 5,000-meter run in a time of 14:59.88, which ranks third on NIACC’s all-time 5K list.
Kipkemboi is the third men’s runner in school history to break 15 minutes for the indoor 5K. Jordan Anderson (2008) holds the school record in a time of 14:50.03 and Trent Smith (2013) ranks second in 14:50.03.
NIACC sophomore Tinashe Chigudu set school records in the 60-meter dash (6.76) and 200-meter dash (22.11).
In the 60-meter dash, Chigudu qualified for Saturday’s finals with the fifth-fastest qualifying time. Chigudu broke his old school mark of 6.87 set earlier this season at the Waldorf Winter Invitational.
The 60-meter finals are set for 1:35 p.m. on Saturday.
In the 200, Chigudu had the 23rd fastest time in Friday’s prelims as he broke the 10-year old school mark of 22.36 held by Gawain Gray set at the NJCAA Region XI meet on Feb. 18, 2011.
The Trojans placed 10th in the distance medley relay in a time of 10:25.94 running Vicente Correia, Janvier Irakoze, Titus Jackson and Pudens Kipkosgei.
In the 400 prelims, Jackson placed 22nd in a personal best time of 50.35, which ranks third on the school’s indoor 400 list.
In the weight throw, NIACC’s Kameron Glasper placed 14th with a personal best toss of 14.13 meters (46 feet, 3 1/2 inches), which ranks second on the school’s weight throw list.
In the 1,000 prelims, Kipkosgei placed 16th in a time of 2:36.90.
Heading into Saturday’s events, NIACC is in 11th place with eight team points.
