BETHANY PILLLOW | staff writer
The victory may not have been complete, but there was plenty to celebrate about the Track and Field team’s performance at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) indoor competition which ran from Thursday, March 5 to Saturday, March 7.
In a mirror finish of last year’s results, the men claimed the national championship and the women’s team came in second place, missing the crown by a mere point, yet again.
The men’s team tallied a total of 78.5 points, finishing 23.5 points ahead of second place Dickinson State University.
This comfortable lead bore testimony to the record-breaking individual performances that marked the three day competition.
Senior Aron Rono secured three first place victories with a winning mile time of 4:03.74, a 3000 meter clock-in at 8:14.92 and a surprising 9:50:88 in the distance medley relay that broke the NAIA record by 6 seconds.
Rono is the first runner to win four NAIA mile runs, making him one of just three athletes in the history of NAIA to win any one event all four years.
Newcomers also did their part to pile on the points.
Freshman and native Kenyan Abednego Magut made his third ever run on a track count with a 14:43:93 in the 5000 meters that put him in second place in the event.
Junior transfer student Jordan Savidge was also new to the NAIA scene.
While excited about seeing the East Coast for the first time, and in style at that, Savage admitted feeling nervous in the downtime before the games got underway.
“This is my first National Collegiate meet, so if I win this it will be my biggest competition win to date,” Savidge said. “ On Saturday, once I finally get my spikes on and get ready to track out there on the field, I’ll be in my element.”
And Savage seemed to be in his element, winning the men’s indoor pole vault at 16’ 8 3/4, the third athlete in Cougar history to claim that crown.
The women’s team came in second, a step behind Wayland Baptist University with everything riding on the 4x400-meter relay for the second year in a row.
“It came down to our relay. They told us our team had to get third place or better,” sophomore Mandy Ross said. “We came in fourth. It was tough.”
Missing third place by a mere second, the Cougars 4x4 was still an impressive one, clocking a season best time of 3:51:31.
“We were happy,” Ross said. “I mean, we gave all we had, and we had nothing left to give. But it was very emotional. For one of our captains, Zora [Golcevska], it was her last time to compete. Everyone was out there bustin’ their butts to get the championship for her and the seniors.”
Senior pentathlete Zora Golcevska, also a 4x4 runner, and junior Tiffeny Parker had claimed first and second in the 60-meter hurdles with season and personal best times.
Shortly after the women’s results were released, a reread of the final photo set the two runners at a tie for 8.86 – the second place time.
First place was transferred to a Wayland runner, the school that called for the reread, along with one point that proved to make the championship difference.
Individual highlights from senior Jaime Canterbury sealed her reputation as the most celebrated women’s distance runner in Azusa Pacific history.
Canterbury’s final performances at the championship included a winning time of 4.53.65 in the mile and a third place in the 3000 meter.
Sophomore Jacky Kipwambok gave an All-American performance finishing third in the 5000-meter at 17:38:89, and Ross claimed fourth in the 400 meter at 56.87.
“Overall it was a great experience,” Ross said. “The [men’s team] won again, which was exciting, and second place by one point isn’t bad. Bittersweet, but mostly sweet.”
The Cougars will not have much time to rest, as they travel to San Diego tomorrow, Thursday, March 12 at the Point Loma Multi-Events.
