The Barton Community College men's track and field team had a big all-around personal best weekend in Canyon, Texas, competing in the Jo Meaker Classic & Multi hosted by West Texas A&M University.
The 4th ranked Cougars added two more national qualifiers to its list but showed marked progress throughout the team in setting nineteen personal or season best performances.
Despite and occasionally enjoying the west Texas wind, on the track Almond Small shined in leading twelve Cougar best times in the short sprints. Placing 2nd in the 200m, Small not only posted a national qualifying time of 20.50, but did so in a wind legal time in what is a Canadian U20 national record pending upon official verification. His runner-up effort came behind WTAMU's Benjamin Azamati who matched his NCAA Division II record of 20.13.
Five of the Cougars' seven personal 200m best times came in wind legal conditions including Elijah Mosley's 3rd place 20.56 and Daylin Williams' 5th place 20.83 as the pair join Small on the national qualifying list.
All five 100m Barton entries enjoyed the wind advantage, Small taking first of the 36-entry field on a personal best 10.17 while Caleb Boger set a season best time of 10.46 as both bettered their national qualifying time. Competing in the event for the first time, D. Williams just missed punching his national ticket as his altitude adjusted time of 10.56 fell .01 seconds beyond the standards.
In addition to Small's 200m runner-up, Telron Bradford Jr. posted a season best 46.86 in the 400m and Anthony Woods triple jumped to a personal best 15.26m mark as the pair placed second in their respective events and bettered their national qualifying standing.
The throwing crew also had a big weekend in winning two events, including the 1-2 shot put finish by Giovanni Gutierrez and Brandon Lloyd. Both already nationally qualified in three events, Gutierrez won the meet on a 17.70m throw with Lloyd in second at 16.48m. Lloyd gave the Cougars its first event victory of the weekend, winning the discus throw on Friday at 56.97m to tie his program 3rd best mark while Gutierrez set a new season best with a 48.15m throw. The pair also set new personal bests in the hammer throw, Gutierrez blowing past his previous mark by nearly five meters at 47.11m while Lloyd added two meters to his best in landing a 42.10m throw as the duo placed 7th and 8th respectively at the Classic.
Barton will have couple weeks away from competition before heading to Norman, Oklahoma, for the John Jacobs Invitational held April 22-23.
Barton Men's Results
100m: 1st Almond Small (PB 10.17 *Already NQ); 6th Caleb Boger (SB 10.46 *Already NQ); 8th Daylin Williams (10.53 *1st Time); 10th Marcus Purcell (PB 10.71); 18th Andrew Ferguson (PB 10.88); 29th Xavier Madden (PB 11.12)
200m: 2nd Almond Small (NQ/PB 20.50 *Canadian U20 national record upon verification); 3rd Elijah Mosley (NQ/PB 20.56); 5th Daylin Williams (PB 20.83 *Already NQ); 16th Zander Von Stade (PB 21.42); 17th Telron Bradford Jr. (21.46 *Already NQ); 18th Marcus Purcell (PB 21.49); 20th Andrew Ferguson (PB 21.58); 25th Jye Gillard (21.86 *1st Time); 27th Cedric Williams (21.94 *1st Time); 38th Xavier Madden (PB 22.58)
400m: 2nd Telron Bradford Jr. (SB 46.86 *Already NQ); 5th Jye Gillard (PB 48.46); 9th Cedric Williams (49.15)
Triple Jump: 2nd Anthony Woods (PB 15.26m *Already Nationally Qualified)
Discus Throw: 1st Brandon Lloyd (T-PB 56.97m *Ties his 3rd best Program mark); 8th Giovanni Gutierrez (SB 48.15m) *Both already Nationally Qualified
Hammer Throw: 7th Giovanni Gutierrez (PB 47.11m); 8th Brandon Lloyd (PB 42.10m)
Shot Put: 1st Giovanni Gutierrez (17.70m *Already NQ); 2nd Brandon Lloyd (16.48m *Already NQ)