TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati track and field program conducted its 37th Annual Red vs. Black Intrasquad meet Friday afternoon inside the Armory Fieldhouse on campus as the Bearcats prepare for the their first meet of indoor season one week away. The Black Team's women defeated the Red Team, 55-44, while the Red Team downed the Black Team's men, 52-45, in the 12-event competition. Despite the split in scores, the combined title remained with the Black Team, 100-96, as its four-point margin of victory helped them retain the title for the fourth year in a row.
All told, seven meet records fell on the day, including five in women's events and two on the men's side. Rebecka Abrahamsson (Black Team) broke the marks in both the long and triple jumps in the women's competitions to lead the way as she and fellow horizontal jumper Sergio Acera (BT) also won both events in the men's competitions. The lone other individual that won multiple titles was Red Team's Macklin Tudor, who captured the men's weight throw and shot put.
// WOMEN'S MEET
The Black Team captured the women's title with a 55-44 decision as the team won seven of the 12 contested events, including a sweep of all the field events. Overall, the Black Team swept all six field events with Abrahamsson (long jump, triple jump) and Annette Echikunwoke (weight throw, shot put) each winning two events on the day. The remaining victors were Alanna Hendricks, who won the 200m dash; Naomi Urbano, who won the high jump; and Brooke Catherine, who captured the pole vault.
The Red Team won five events with each coming on the track. Kellsa Mbah led the way as she won the 55m hurdles while breaking the meet record in the event. Rookie Angelica Lightfoot captured the 55m hurdles while Bryana Robinson set a meet record while winning the 400m dash, breaking a mark that had stood since 2003. Meg Westerheide won the 800m run before the team of Robinson, Lightfoot, Maggie Loeffler and Sylvana Ross combined to take the 4x400m relay.
// MEN'S MEET
The Red Team won the head-to-head battle, 52-45, as both sides split the victories in the 12 events. The Red Team was led by Tudor, who won both throwing events, while Alex Bloom defended his high jump crown from one year ago. On the track, Kelvin Williams won the 55m hurdles and Tevin-Lloyd Thompson secured the 200m dash. The Red Team also won the 4x400m relay as the team of Kevin Konkoly, Ryan Greene, Jarrod Hart and Jaashir Morris held off their challengers to secure the overall team win for Red.
Along with Acera's double, Jimmy Brooks won the 55m dash for the second year in a row as he tied his own meet record, marking the sixth time the record has been run with Brooks being the lone man to do so twice in a career. Staying on the track, Halen Witcher won the 400m dash and rookie Logan Baker held off a furious charge from Hart to win the 800m run. Adrian Valles rounded out the Black Team's wins as he easily shattered the meet record in the pole vault to claim another victory.
// ON DECK
The Bearcats will open their 2017 indoor season officially next Friday in Bloomington, Ind., as members of the program are set to compete in the Hoosier Open inside Gladstein Fieldhouse. Then, following the holiday break, the Bearcats will return to the track at the Kentucky Invitational in Lexington, Ky., in a meet that will be held January 13-14.
Red vs. Black Event Winners
Women - Red
55m Dash - Kellsa Mbah - 6.4h
55m Hurdles - Angelica Lightfoot - 8.1h
400m Dash - Bryana Robinson - 55.6h
800m Run - Meg Westerheide - NT (timing error)
4x400m Relay - B. Robinson/A. Lightfoot/M. Loeffler/S. Ross - 4:04.0h
Women - Black
200m Dash - Alanna Hendricks - 27.1h
Long Jump - Rebecka Abrahamsson - 6.09m (19-11.75)
Triple Jump - Rebecka Abrahamsson - 12.75m (41-10.00)
High Jump - Naomi Urbano - 1.65m (5-05.00)
Pole Vault - Brooke Catherine - 3.67m (12-00.50)
Shot Put - Annette Echikunwoke - 14.78m (48-06.00)
Weight Throw - Annette Echikunwoke - 20.51m (67-03.50)
Men - Red
55m Hurdles - Kelvin Williams - 7.4h
200m Dash - Tevin-Lloyd Thompson - 22.6h
4x400m Relay - K. Konkoly/R. Greene/J. Hart/J. Morris - 3:26.1h
High Jump - Alex Bloom - 2.06m (6-09.00)
Shot Put - Macklin Tudor - 17.25m (56-07.25)
Weight Throw - Macklin Tudor - 18.08m (59-04.00)
Men - Black
55m Dash - Jimmy Brooks - 6.1h
400m Dash - Halen Witcher - 50.0h
800m Run - Logan Baker - 2:03.3h
Long Jump - Sergio Acera - 7.14m (23-05.25)
Triple Jump - Sergio Acera - 13.65m (44-09.50)
Pole Vault - Adrian Valles - 5.35m (17-06.50)
Red vs. Black Broken Records
Women
55m Dash - Kellsa Mbah - 6.4h - Previous: 6.7h, Natasha Burse (2010)
400m Dash - Bryana Robinson - 55.6h - Previous: 56.0h, Ashley Arnold (2008)
Long Jump - Rebecka Abrahamsson - 6.09m (19-11.75) - Previous: 6.00m, Laura Valldeperas (2003)
Triple Jump - Rebecka Abrahamsson - 12.75m (41-10.00) - Previous: 12.22m, Rebecka Abrahamsson (2015)
Weight Throw - Annette Echikunwoke - 20.51m (67-03.50) - Previous: 18.54m, Annette Echikunwoke (2015)
Men
55m Dash - Jimmy Brooks - 6.1h (tie) - Previous: 6.1h by five others, including Brooks (2015)
Pole Vault - Adrian Valles - 5.35m (17-06.50) - Previous: 5.08m, Josh Dangel (2012)