GOLDEN, Colo. – MSU Denver Outdoor Track & Field wrapped up its final tune-up before the RMAC Championships on Thursday afternoon at the Mines Midweek Invite, held at Stermole Track & Crouch Field Events Complex.
The Roadrunners turned in a strong all-around performance in their last competition before the postseason, highlighted by a record-breaking sprint on the women's side and several event wins and podium finishes across the board.
Leading the way was Odone Omofoma, who etched her name into the program record book in the 200 meters. Omofoma blazed to a first-place finish with a time of 24.41, setting a new MSU Denver record and delivering one of the top performances of the day.
She was joined by a strong group of sprinters, including Arianna Toaipa, who placed second in the 200 meters (24.80) after also winning the 100 meters in 12.60. Jessica Hobson added a second-place finish in the 100 (12.83) and placed third in the 200 (26.25), giving the Roadrunners a dominant showing in the short sprints.
On the men's side, MSU Denver found success in both sprint and middle-distance events. Kenny Greene led the charge with a first-place finish in the 400 meters, clocking in at 48.35, while teammate Jacob Simpson followed with a fourth-place finish (50.07).
The Roadrunners swept the top four spots in the 800 meters, showcasing their depth. Elijah Garcia took first in 1:55.80, edging Eisen Dacus by just one-hundredth of a second (1:55.81). Braden Medina (1:57.81) and Parker Davidson (1:57.90) rounded out the sweep.
In the 100 meters, Kevin Tashie placed second with a time of 10.86, while Mekhi Hubbard added a sixth-place finish (11.32) and later took fourth in the 200 meters (22.11).
MSU Denver also saw solid performances in the hurdles, where Anthony Martinez led the group with a third-place finish in the 110m hurdles (14.58). He was followed by Sean Pecenka in fifth (14.89), while Brandon Aviles (15.23), Akinwale Williams (15.70), Joseph Barlow (15.99), and David Klisarski (16.11) added depth in the event.
The 4x400-meter relay team of Tashie, Owen Clarke, Simpson, and Greene capped the day with a first-place finish, crossing the line in 3:21.93.
In distance events on the women's side, Tanis Chavez placed second in the 800 meters (2:21.78), followed by Ellie Shaw in third (2:23.01). In the hurdles, Delaney Pighetti finished third in the 100m hurdles (15.67), while Marilyn Vega added a fifth-place finish (18.01).
In the field events, Brooklynn Jones led the way with a second-place finish in the javelin (38.65m), while Jaelyn Korbe placed third (30.83m). On the men's side, Andre Henry and Jacob Bowler competed in the throws, while Henry also appeared in the javelin.
With the regular season now complete, the Roadrunners turn their attention to the RMAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, where they will look to build on Thursday's momentum and contend for conference titles.
