FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The North Carolina A&T indoor track and field teams competed at the prestigious Tyson Invitational Friday at the Randal Tyson Track Center at the University of Arkansas.
The Aggies came away with three victories on Friday in the women's 60 meters, the men's 60m, men's 800m and the women's 400m.
Sophomore Cambrea Sturgis entered the Tyson Invitational with the second-fastest time in the nation in the 60m at 7.15. She ran a 7.17 in the women's 60m final to win the event. She still trails Texas' Julian Alfred heading into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships in two weeks. Alfred leads the nation in the 60 with a time of 7.12.
Senior Jaylan Mitchell took first place in the men's 60. Mitchell ran a qualifying time of 6.67 before finishing first in the final in 6.59. Mitchell came into the race ranked third in the country with the 6.59 he posted at the Texas Tech Invitational on Jan. 30. He matched that time on Friday but still trails the nation's leader, Florida's Raymond Ekevwo, who ran a 6.53 at the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 31.
Senior Abbas Abbkar won the men's 800 meters by sprinting ahead of Oklahoma's Ackeen Colley. Abbkar finished in 1:48.91 ahead of Colley's 1:49.09. It was a big race for Abbkar as it puts him in contention to make the NCAA indoor championships.
He is now ranked 13th in the nation. Virginia Tech's Bashir Mosavel-Lo currently holds the coveted No. 12 spot with a time of 1:48.88.
Junior Delecia McDuffie ran a personal-best 54.74 to win the women's 400m. McDuffie's time places her fourth in the conference. The Aggies hold three of the four top spots in the conference in the 400m led by senior Tori Ray (53.62). Sophomore Nia Lundy is third (54.39). Ray and Lundy ran in the women's 400m fastest 4 SEC race on Friday where Ray finished with a time of 54.02 and Lundy had a time of 54.74.
The other top showings included freshman Randolph Ross who competed in the men's 400m fastest 4 SEC race that featured some of the top 400m runners in the country. Ross finished second with a time of 46.14. Ross has the fastest 400m time in the world at 45.55. Senior Trevor Stewart finished sixth behind Ross with a time of 46.58.
N.C. A&T also had a good showing in the women's 60-meter hurdles. Sophomore Paula Salmon finished third in 8.08. Her time ties senior teammate Madeleine Akobundu for sixth in the nation. Akobundu finished fourth on Friday in the race at 8.19.
Junior Aaron Wilkerson moved into first place in the conference in the men's weight throw on Friday. He finished fifth with a personal-best throw of 59-feet, 8 ½-inches.
Sophomore Brandon Hicklin also moved into first place in the men's long jump in the MEAC. Hicklin jumped 24-feet, 11-inches to finish sixth. Junior Loren James threw a personal-best 60-feet, 6 ½-inches in the women's weight throw to move into third place in the conference.
The Aggies return to action at the Tyson Invitational on Saturday.
