Pratt Community College track and field took the short trip to Hutchinson, Kan. to compete in the 2018 Region VI outdoor track and field championships. The two day event from Gowans Stadium saw several Beaver runners place in their events and qualify for the NJCAA outdoor track and field national meet.
The first day saw the Blue and White run in the qualifying heats for the men's 100 and 200 meter. Jevony Murray qualified for the men's 100 final with a prelim time of 10.53. In the final, Murray ran a 10.61 for sixth. Murray also competed in the 200 meter race. He qualified for the final with a time of 21.36. Murray would take sixth in the 200 meter final with a time of 21.41.
Robert Maston brought home Pratt's lone event win in the men's 400 meter dash. Maston finished the race with a time of 47.56 winning by .57 seconds for first place in the region.
In the men's 800 meter run, Elijah Battle placed in the top 10 in the region with a seventh place finish. Battle ran the 800 meter with a time of 1:57.18.
Rounding out the men's side of the meet were the 4x400 meter relay and the 4x800 meter relay. The 4x400 meter team of Joshua Mitchell, Juvens Pierre, Maston, and Murray finished first in their heat with a time of 3:21.76 and placed seventh in the region. The 4x800 team had a top 10 finish in the region. Running a time of 8:15.53 the team of William Charles, Rainier Conley, Logan Krenn, and Battle took ninth in the region.
Aminata Kenyawani led the way on the women's side with her performance in the women's 5000 meter run. Kenyawani finished first in her heat and second in the region with a time of 19:44.36.
Madeline Jacobsen qualified for nationals in the women's 400 meter hurdles. Jacobsen ran a time of 1:06.37 for fifth place in the region. Jacobsen's time also broke the school record in the 400 meter hurdles, a record she previously set earlier this season.
Finishing the meet for the women was the 4x400 meter relay. The team of Feja Hodges, Ashley Marcelin, Anysia Romain, and Jacobsen ran the relay in 4:00.97 for fourth place in the region and breaking their own school record.
"Lovely weather to compete in," said Jamaal Barnes, head track and field coach at PCC. "We did some great things over the weekend. Several runners had some huge personal records set with some qualifying for nationals. We even walked away with a region champion with Robert's (Maston) run in the 400. I'm just proud of our effort and the final results. Both teams moving up in the standings is a blessing and a testament to this team. I'm looking forward to seeing what we're able to do nationally as a stepping stone to next season."
PCC track and field heads into the 2018 NJCAA national championship meet with nine runners who have qualified. Maston will compete in the 200 meter and 400 meter races. Murray has qualified for the 100 meter and 200 meter races. Battle represents the Blue and White in the 800 meter race. Kylan Wess runs in the 1500 meter race. On the women's side, Jacobsen will compete in the 400 meter hurdles. Hodges is set to run in in the 400 meter dash. Kenyawani represents the Beavers in the 5000 meter race. In the women's 4x400 the team of Hodges, Marcelin, Romain, and Jacobsen are set to run for Pratt. The 2018 outdoor track and field meet will be on May 17 through May 19 from El Dorado, Kan. Events each day start at 10 a.m.