AUSTIN — Victoria Cameron stole the show on Saturday winning the women’s 100 meters while running the top time in the NCAA this season and the second-fastest time in the world this year at the 98th annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays hosted by Texas at the Mike A. Myers Stadium.
The Texans brought home a pair of medals with Cameron taking gold and Jalen Cadet earning bronze in the men’s long jump. Davi Torres also placed second in the High Jump B competition. Overall, the Texans had four top five finishes and had six athletes reach the finals of their events.
Cameron became the first Texan to win a gold medal at the Texas Relays in the Texans’ Division I era. The Stephenville native now holds the top time in the NCAA this year and is the second-fastest in the world.
“Competing at the Texas Relays is always a great test for our program,” said head coach Bobby Carter. “We had some strong performances with top three finishes in the 100 meters, high jump, long jump, but more importantly, it’s about getting out there and competing. This time of year, we’re not chasing marks or times, we’re focused on execution. Every meet has its purpose, and this one was about sharpening our approach and continuing to build towards what we know we’re capable of later in the season.”
Saturday
Victoria Cameron showed she still has the speed she showcased last season matching her mark of 11.01 seconds she ran at the NCAA West First Rounds a year ago. Cameron won the finals by 0.05 seconds with third a full two tenths of a second behind. The junior now owns the top time in the NCAA and the second-fastest time in the world this year. At the moment of her race she was the top time in the world, but 2024 Paris Gold Medalist Gaby Thomas crossed in 11.0 seconds in the professional heat just two heats after Cameron finished.
Sir Jonathan Sims competed in the triple jump in the Texans’ final event of the day. Each of Sims first three leaps were all within two and a half inches. His second attempt was his best that gave him a spot in the finals in fourth with a 15.39-meter leap. In the finals, he jumped 15.35 meters but it was not enough to improve his mark or his place, ending the day in fourth place overall.
Ca’terrin Cox placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles finals. Cox fought the rainy conditions and still clocked in at 13.85 seconds. Texas’ Kendrick Smallwood won the event running the fastest time in any conditions in the world this year in 13.16 seconds.
Friday
Jalen Cadet highlighted the day winning the Texas first medal of the weekend. Cadet opened the competition with a 7.54-meter leap, he furthest wind-legal jump of the competition to rank seventh-best in program history. After his first three jumps, he entered the finals in fifth in the field. He leapt 7.62 meters on his fourth jump which was an improvement, but not enough to propel him in the standings. But, on his fifth attempt he notched a 7.66-meter leap to jump up to third place overall.
Davi Torres placed second in the high jump B competition. He was perfect at each of the first two bars getting over in each of his first two attempts. Torres then needed all three attempts to clear the 2.08-meter bar. He was one of six jumpers to reach the 2.12-meter bar, but none of the group was able to clear it. Torres tied for the fewest misses but fell to second as he had two misses on his best clearance and the other competitor only had one.
Jonathon Rodgers placed sixth in the men’s long jump. His best leap came on his second attempt where he jumped 7.43 meters. He entered the finals ranked sixth and finished in the same slot after a pair of jumps at 7.14 and 7.16 meters.
On the track, the Texans had a pair of athletes qualify for Saturday’s finals in Friday’s prelims. Victoria Cameron punched her ticket to the finals winning her heat and running the third fastest time overall in the qualifiers. Cameron clocked in at 11.05 seconds, her fourth best time of her career. Also moving on to the finals, Ca’terrin Cox posted the seventh best time in the 110-meter hurdles. Cox placed second in his heat nearly reaching his school record crossing in 13.76 seconds. The senior had the second-fastest non-winning time in the qualifiers.
Also in the prelims, Malak Rashwan posted the third-fastest time in program history in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. The sophomore crossed in 13.95 seconds to set a new personal best by 0.12 seconds. She placed 27th in the prelims. JayBrion Jones made his collegiate 100-meter debut. Jones opened clocking in at 10.29 seconds to place 17th in the loaded field. He was aided by +2.7 m/s wind just over the limit of 2.0 m/s that he needed to be eligible for the program top 10 list, in which he would have ranked fifth. David Mvundura opened his season in the 100 meters crossing in 10.36 seconds to finish 28th overall.
Thursday
Tayler Wessely started the Texan competition in the women’s hammer throw. She opened the competition with her best toss of 55.62 meters on her first attempt. She finished in 11th place overall and ninth amongst collegiate competition. Professional athlete Camryn Rogers posted the new world lead mark with a best toss of 81.13 meters.
Jacob Thomas cleared two bars in his Texas Relays debut. He cleared the opening height of 4.90 meters on his second attempt, and 5.00 meters on his third try. In his attempt for the school record at the 5.10-meter height, he came up just short on his three attempts to finish in seventh.
Kaitlyn Gale capped off the first night for the Texans in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase. Gale started in the back of the back and climbed her way to the chase pack and ultimately finished in sixth overall. She was just two seconds off her season-best time crossing in 10:55.59.
Tarleton State Track and Field will have its full team back in action next week on Friday at the Baylor Invitational on April 10 at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium.
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