COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO – Junior Tanis Chavez and senior Naleia Sowell are among the top performers on day one of the UC-Colorado Springs Pre-Holiday Invitational & Multi.
 
Chavez broke the tape in the women's 800 meters, crossing the line in a time of 2:27.02. The La Junta, Colorado native had four of the top nine finishes in the event last season, with her best showing coming at the Gorilla Classic where she finished in a time of 2:20.16. 

"I truly feel happy with my performance today," Chavez said. "The commitment that I had was definitely shown throughout my whole race. I had to press in on the mindset that I'm in control of my thoughts and I am ready to execute. I'm blessed to start my indoor season this way and look forward to the possibilities this season."
 
Sowell finished first in the women's 400-meter dash in a time of 58.29. It is a great start for the Lakewood native's senior season, as Sowell already owns the second fastest time in the event in program history. Sowell ran for 56.65 seconds in February of this year in Pittsburg, Kansas. 
 
In the weight throw event, Brandon Simpson reached a distance of 14.57 meters, which is now a school record. He broke his own mark of 14.52, which he reached in February of 2023 in Golden, Colorado.  Simpson finished eighth overall in Colorado Springs on Friday. And senior Lushous Davis threw her weight 15.05 meters and finished seventh at the meet in the women's event.

Jacob Simpson would run a 51.75 in the men's 400-meter dash and would finish fifth in the race. The sophomore competed in the 100M, the 200M and in the javelin during his freshman campaign.
 
Junior Elijah Garcia finished eighth in the men's 800 meters and did so in a time of 2:01.14. Freshman Abrehem Martinez came rolling in behind Garcia crossing the line in a time of 2:04.96 and finishing ninth. 
 
The Roadrunners will finish the meet tomorrow in Colorado Springs starting at 11 a.m.