LUBBOCK, Texas – Senior
Jade Bontke and junior
Joel Bengtsson broke school records on the first day of action at the Texas Tech Open and Multis to lead the UT Arlington track and field team to a stellar day.
Bontke got the day started with a bang as she became the first Maverick Pentathlon competitor in school history to break 4,000 points. Bontke shattered Alexus Henry's 2018 mark of 3,895 with a total of 4,043 to finish third overall in the event.
Bontke's total placed her eighth in the country by day's end. She finished sixth in the 60 at 8.79, third in the him jump at 1.74, which currently puts her at the top of the Sun Belt, eighth in the shot put at 11.36, fourth in the long jump at 5.77, and third in the 800 at 2:22.83.
Bontke's school record also was a personal best by over 500 points for the senior from Hillsboro, Texas.
Meanwhile, Bengtsson picked up where he left off a week ago.
After tying Paul Whitty's record of 7.87 a week ago in College Station, Bengtsson blew past the record in his first run of the day, going for a 7.83 in the first prelim of the evening.
He was not done there, as Bengtsson followed that up with an incredible 7.79 in the semifinal to earn his place in the final.
In this final, Bengtsson broke his own mark for the third time, winning the final with a time of 7.78.
Freshman
Iyana Gray continued her tremendous start to her career, earning a spot in the final fo the 60, where she placed third with a PR of 7.41.
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
- Through four events, Lucas Van Klaveren sits sixth in the Heptathlon, which included a pair of fourth place finishes in the shot put and high jump.
- Shelby West and Krystal Igbo set new PRs in the 60m hurdles with West finishing at 8.71 and Igbo checking in at 8.73.
- Simona Cabella tied for first in the B section of pole vault, clearing 3.82.
- Abigail Flores placed seventh in the weight throw at 16.03.
- Tatyana Terrell placed ninth in a very competitive field in the 400 with a time of 55.70.
UTA returns to action for day two of the TTU Open and Multis with a multitude of athletes set to compete. Action gets rolling at 10 AM.
