Day One Yields Two Big 12 Champions

February 24, 2017 | Track and Field

Charles Brown and Kaylee Hinton secure Big 12 titles in the long jump and pentathlon.

AMES, Iowa – Texas Tech had a strong first day at the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championship with 19 personal-best performances taking place.

Kaylee Hinton scored 4010 points in the pentathlon this afternoon. This number allowed her the No. 9 spot in Texas Tech indoor records on top of her conference champion title. An 800-meter mark of 2:19.48 sealed the deal for Hinton, proving as an almost a five second improvement from her previous personal record from last year's conference meet.

Sophomore jumper Charles Brown hit a lifetime best mark of 7.89m/25-10.75 in the men's long jump to earn his second conference title in the event. This jump also ties for seventh in the Texas Tech indoor record book.

The Texas Tech men had two runners qualify per event in four events. Qualifying marks were made by: Darien Tennon and Dorian Williams in the 60H, Steven Champlin and Kyle Collins 400m, Vincent Crisp and C.J. Jones in the 800m and Andrew Hudson and Trevin Chambers in the 200m.

On the women's side, seven Red Raiders advanced to the finals in their respective events. Ivy Walker in the 60H, I'Shunique Hamilton and Tiffani Johnson in the 60m, Maygen Smith in the 600Y, Marika Brown and Sara Limp 400m and Marika Brown again in the 200m.

A 53.94 400-meter personal record pushed Marika Brown into tomorrow's qualifying round. This time was improved from a 57.79 run at the Texas A&M Quadrangular last year. Brown also had a qualifying personal best time of 24.27 in the 200-meter race.

Jocelyn Caro secured fifth place in the women's 5,000-meter race with an eight second improved time of 16:18.54. This beat her PR achieved two weeks ago at the Iowa State Classic.

Miguel Bautista and Benard Keter pushed for points in the men's 5,000-meter placing fifth and seventh with times of 14:28.09 and 14:30.52 respectively.

Hunter Carlton and Blake Wood also wrangled points in the men's and women's pole vault, both finishing eighth with personal best heights of 4.92m/16-1.75 and 3.93m/12-10.75.

The championship will pick up tomorrow with the completion of the men's heptathlon starting at 11 a.m.