SPOKANE, Wash. – Amblessed Okemgbo provided the brightest of several highlights for the Whitworth University indoor track and field teams as the Pirates opened the season at the Spokane Indoor Challenge in the Podium.
Okemgbo took second in the women's shot put with a mark of 46'-8.85". That mark is now the leading mark in all of NCAA Division III. Kylie Loveless took seventh in the shot put with a distance of 42'-11", which now ranks 13th in DIII.
Shaloma McCay was the runner-up in the women's triple jump with a distance of 35'-3.25". Brianna Tira took fourth in the high jump, clearing 5'-3", now the 36th best mark in DIII.
The Whitworth women had several strong performances on the track as well. Kezlie Thygesen and Lily Jones finished second and third, respectively, in the women's 3,000 meters. Thygesen's time was 10:35.68 and Jones crossed in 10:39.09. Emily Brown finished fourth in the women's 400 meters with a time of 57.16, which ranks 8th in Division III.
The Pirate men had several top-ten performances as well. The best showing may have come from first year Brady Oletzke, who qualified for the finals of the men's 60-meter hurdles and finished fifth with a time of 8.35, which now ranks 27th in DIII.
London Haley was seventh (9:01.74) in the 3,000 while Isaac Akiyama was eighth (9:08.11). Cooper Rolfs took ninth in the 400 dash in 50.46.
In the field, Kaden Hooper was seventh in the long jump (20'-7") and Kenai Herrick was seventh in the weight throw with a personal record of 52'-3.75".
Whitworth will be back in action on January 31st when the team hosts the Inland Northwest Invitational.
