Several Bobcats set personal bests across two track meets
Ashton Callahan won men’s 400 in his first collegiate race in that event, Melanie Duron claimed the top spot in the women’s shot put, and seven other Bobcats set a personal- best on Saturday as Texas State track and field completed its weekend at the Bobcat Invitational and Texas Relays.
Callahan, a redshirt senior who transferred to Texas State before last season, ran 46.42 in the 400, which was the best time by a Bobcat in the event this year and second-fastest in the Sun Belt. The Sweeny, Texas native had never run a distance greater than 400 meters as individual in a collegiate meet and only ran in the 4x400 relay once prior.
Duron claimed first in the shot put in an outdoor meet for the third straight week as she recorded a toss of 16.34 meters/53-7.25 on Saturday. The Laredo, Texas native won at the UTSA Invitational and Charles Austin Classic before the fourth first-place finish (one in indoor) of her young Bobcat career this weekend.
A pair of freshmen also reached the podium in their respective events. Elisabet Runarsdottir placed third in the women’s hammer throw with a personal-best of 64.12 meters/ 210-4. The toss was 10th-best in school history and a freshman record. Abigail Parra, meanwhile, ran a personal-best 4:56.86 in the women’s 1500 meter to place third. It was the first time she broke the five-minute barrier as she has shaved five-plus seconds off her season-opening time in the event in consecutive meets.
At the Texas Relays, senior Sedrickia Wynn ran 23.10 in the women’s 200 invite to register the seventh- fastest time in school history and a PR.
In addition to Runarsdottir, Parra and Wynn, other Bobcats who had PRs on Saturday included Ayesha Nelson (14.06, 100 meter hurdles), Price Janecek (2:20.20, women’s 800), Avery Veiseh (1:55.29, men’s 800) and Deborah Bulai (62.17m/204-0, women’s hammer throw).
Overall, Texas State had five first-place finishes at the Bobcat Invitational. Simon Thor (decathlon) and Chris Preddie (men’s long jump) won on Friday.
