UTEP track & field earns four medals on day two of CSUA Championship
EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP track and field team earned four more medals on day two of the 2024 Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by UTEP on Saturday on Larry K. Durham Track at Kidd Field.
Jakub Belik won his second consecutive gold medal in the outdoor men’s high jump at 2.15 meters (7-0.5). Belik scored 10 points for the Miners. Including the last two indoor seasons, he’s won gold in four consecutive conference meet high jump events.
Alla Parnov claimed a silver medal leaping 4.17 meters (13-8.25) in the women’s pole vault final. Parnov scored eight points for the women’s side.
The Miners tallied 14 points in the decathlon.
Oleksandr Blonskyi finished in second place with 6,469 points after opening day two with a victory in the decathlon 110-meter hurdles, clocking in a 14.66. Blonskyi started the day in third, followed by victories in the pole vault (4.68m) and 1500-meter race (5:03.46) to move up a spot to claim a silver medal and eight points. Blonskyi’s points on Saturday rank seventh on the program’s all-time list.
Jalen Cadet finished behind with 6,035 points. Cadet won bronze and tallied six points. Cadet recorded a 46.31-meter toss in the decathlon javelin to finish in third place.
Noah Jirgens posted a personal-best 58.68 meters (192-6) in the men’s hammer final and scored four points for the Miners with a fifth-place finish.
Cadet added another three points to his total with a sixth-place finish in the men’s high jump final and Blonskyi added a point with an eighth-place finish at 1.95 meters. UTEP registered 14 points in the event.
SATURDAY’S TRACK PRELIMS
In the men’s 800-meter race, Aron Tanui (1:52.33) finished first overall, while Maxwell Kipkosgei placed second (1:53.67) and Kenneth Talavera (1:54.22) all qualified for Sunday’s 800 final at 7:20 p.m. MT.
Stephen Carreto clocked in a 55.23 in the men’s 400-meter hurdles and placed fourth overall to advance to Sunday’s 400 hurdles final at 7:20 p.m.
On the women’s side, Loubna Benhadja turned in a 59.43 and finished in first place overall to compete in Sunday’s 400 hurdles final at 7:40 p.m.
Xavier Butler and Oriade Rashid will see action in Sunday’s 200-meter dash final at 7:50 p.m. Butler was first overall with a 20.44 (3.7), while Rashid was seventh with a 21.00 (1.8).
In the women’s 200-meter dash, Niesha Burgher ran a 22.68 and finished first overall to advance to Sunday’s final at 7:55 p.m., while Rejoice Sule will also see action after clocking in a 23.53.
UPDATED SCORES
Sam Houston maintained its lead on the men’s side with 85 points after day two of competition, while Liberty is in a close second with 84. UTEP sits in third with 63 points. Middle Tennessee (35 points), WKU (30), LA Tech (22 points) and FIU (21) round out the standings.
On the women’s side, Liberty holds a commanding lead with 93.5 points while FIU is in second place with 58 points. NM State is third with 47 points and UTEP is fourth with 41. Middle Tennessee (29), WKU (17.5), LA Tech (12), Sam Houston (10) and Jax State (4) round out the standings.
ON DECK FOR SUNDAY
The field events begin at 11:30 with the men’s discus. The gun goes off for the track events at 6 p.m. with the men’s 4×100-meter relay followed by the women’s 4×1 at 6:05 p.m. The 2024 CUSA Championships will conclude at 8:50 p.m. with the men’s 4×400-meter relay followed by the women’s 4×4 at 9 p.m.
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