LUBBOCK, Texas – The Eastern New Mexico track and field team broke two more program records during the second and final day of competition at the Texas Tech Open on Saturday.
Senior sprinter and middle distance runner Ivar Moinat continued his tear on the ENMU record book, starting his day by eclipsing his own record in the 800-meter with a time of 1:51.00. Moinat finished fourth out of 55 runners and was the top finisher from the Lone Star Conference. He improved upon his previous record of 1:51.51 set at the Red Raider Invitational two weeks ago, setting another NCAA Division II National Championship provisional qualifying mark. After the time was converted to 1:50.68 due to elevation, Moinat currently holds the third-fastest 800-meter time in all of Division II.
Moinat would not be done breaking his own records on the day, doing it once again in the 4×400-meter relay along with his teammates Travonne Armstead, Brandon Chavez, and Andrew Villegas. The four-man team finished the relay with a time of 3:17.10 to come away with fifth place out of 35 teams and was the top placing LSC team. The squad ran 1.12 seconds better than their previous record-setting mark set in the Red Raider Invitational on Jan. 18.
On the women’s side, senior distance runner Mercy Rotich set an incredible mark in just her second ever track and field meet. Rotich won the 3000-meter event with a time of 10:20.75, beating out 15 other runners which included three from Lone Star Conference teams. Rotich set the third-fastest 3000-meter time in program history, topping Sabrina Huelga’s mark of 10:24.38 set in 2016.
In the men’s mile, senior Shane Walsh put together his strongest run of the spring season after crossing the finish line in 4:23.97 to place fourth out of 56 runners. Walsh improved upon his mile time from the Red Raider Invite by 11.52 seconds and nearly topped his previous personal best of 4:22.79 set at last year’s LSC Championships.
After a strong showing in yesterday’s 60-meter dash, senior sprinter Danee Bustos set another phenomenal mark in the 200-meter final with a time of 24.66, just 0.12 seconds behind her career personal-best. The time was good enough to place her eighth out of the 90 competitors in the field and second among the LSC competition.
The Greyhounds will have one more indoor meet to tune up for the Lone Star Conference Champiohships, as the Hounds will now turn their attention to the Don Kirby Elite Invitational hosted by the University of New Mexico from February 8-9.
