Photo by Andre Odums/ossports
Despite the unfavorable conditions on the concluding day of the 98th Clyde Littlefield Relays held at Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus, the schedule proceeded as planned.
The cool, wet weather resulted in a downpour that left standing water on the track, necessitating a one-hour delay to allow for drying. The events resumed later in the afternoon. However, many unattached athletes and several teams chose to withdraw during the finals, opting not to risk potential injuries. Most of the top times were achieved during the preliminaries on Friday.
Annually, one of the nation’s top track and field meets showcase some of the nation’s top talented athletes from across the country, spanning from high school to professional ranks. Coverage in Texas’s capital city transitioned into anticipated celebrations as thrilling moments unfolded. Fans were eager, ready to witness the next significant highlight at the relays.
Several colleges and universities made its presence known. Cal State Fullerton played a significant role in various events, including Abel Alejandro Jordan sprinting across the finish line to secure victory in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 10.12 seconds. Luke Hitchcock claimed second place in the 1A Men’s 1500 Meter Run Finals, finishing in 3:49.46. The Titans took second place in both the 4×100 and 4×400 Meter Relays, with times of 39.08 and 3:06.85, respectively. Hawkin Miller achieved third place in the 1A Shot Put Finals with a throw of 60-5.00. A fierce competition for the top position in the men’s 5000 meters saw Texas Tech’s Victor Kipkoech outpace Odessa College’s Justus Soget Kiplagat, clocking in at 13:58.54 compared to Kiplagat’s 13:59.41.
The University of Texas men’s team enjoyed a successful day. Kendrick Smallwood won the title for the Longhorns in the 110 Hurdles with a time of 13.16 seconds. UT’s Kody Blackwood triumphed in the 400 Meter Hurdles, finishing in 49.58 seconds. Chris Brinkley from Texas finished third in the 400 Meter Hurdles with a time of 50.06 seconds, while Hudson Bennett placed second in the men’s 3000 Meter Steeplechase Finals with a time of 9:06.24. The men’s 4×100 Meter Relay team finished in third place with a time of 39.10 seconds. Brandon Gorski finished second place in the men’s long jump with a leap of 23-7.75. Kelsey Daniel won both the 1A Men’s Long Jump and Triple Jump Finals with distances of 25-10.50 and 52-9.75, respectively. Agbonkonkon Osawese held on for third place in the 1A Men’s High Jump Finals with a height of 6-10.50. Benjamin Shue emerged victorious in the men’s Discus Finals with a throw of 178-1.00. Michael Pinones and Shaiquan Dunn claimed the top two positions in the 1A Men’s Shot Put Finals with throws of 64-5.00 and 60-8.25.
U-of-H claimed victories in the 4×100 and 4×200 Meter Relays with times of 38.69 and 1:22.48, respectively. Patrick Flowers achieved a commendable third place in the 3000 Meters Steeplechase with a time of 9:08.91, while Antrea Mita earned second place honors in the 1A Men’s High Jump with a height of 7-0.25.
On the high school circuit, two of the nation’s premier track athletes, Klein Collins’ junior Andrew Brown and C.E. King’s sophomore Dillion Mitchell, provided the audience with thrilling performances. Brown crossed the finish line in the 110 Hurdles, astonishing fans with a wind-aided time of 12.97 during the preliminaries. He also triumphed in the 300 Meter Hurdles, clocking in at 35.61. In the finals, Brown outperformed Houston Worthing’s Avonte Earl, a nationally ranked hurdler, finishing with a time of 13.15 compared to Earl’s 13.38.
Mitchell followed suit with an impressive display, energizing the crowd as he sprinted to a wind-legal time of 10.10 in the 100 Meter Dash. Furthermore, Mitchell played a crucial role in anchoring the Panthers’ 4×200 Meter Relay team to victory, receiving the baton in third place behind Frisco Heritage and Long Beach Poly. He swiftly made up ground on Frisco and momentarily surged past the Jackrabbits, securing a first-place finish in the preliminaries.
Atascocita’s Mariah Maxwell, representing APXP, a private college preparatory training program, crossed the finish line ahead of Howard University’s Yahnari Lyons, winning the Invitational Women 200 Meter Dash Finals with a time of 22.25. Mariah, who is a twin, is still attending high school and competes alongside her sister Mia, as both joined the APXP Training Group last May.
The annual event, influenced by the participation of seven high schools from out of state saw Poly and Wilson from Long Beach, California, which have been long-time supporters of the relays and consistently demonstrate competitiveness. The other participating schools included El Cerrito, NC, Flossmoor (Homewood-), IL, IMG Academy, FL, La Jolla (SD), CA, and Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Flossmoor’s Zion Morrison kept pace for a third place tie in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 10.58. However, he entered the finals with the second fastest time of 10.33, just behind Mitchell. William Bundy claimed the title in the triple jump with a distance of 46:9.75.
IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, witnessed its girls’ distance runners joining forces to create remarkable memory on Friday, winning the 4000 Meter distance medley relay with a time of 11:37.38. Cy-Fair Bridgeland came in second with a time of 11:49.44.
Following the success of the girls, the IMG Boys also triumphed, winning both the 4000 Meter distance medley and the 4×400 Meter Relays with times of 10:09.91 and 7:46.66, respectively. The Home School Athletic Association challenged the Ascenders, finishing in second place with a time of 10:17.97. Additionally, Ascenders’ Matthew Dodds finished third in the finals of the 1600 Meter run with a time of 4:10.91. Winston Schroder contributed to the Ascenders’ achievements by grabbing second place in the long jump with a distance of 24-5.25. Gabriel Pelletier tied with several competitors, clearing a height of 16-0.50 in the pole vault.
Long Beach Poly established its dominance with a time of 3:23.86, narrowly defeating Katy, which finished with a time of 3:24.17, to win the Boys Sprint Medley Relay.
Rancho Cucamonga secured the second position in the 4×100 Meter Relay.
Despite dropping temperatures, the rain and wind on the final day did not hinder competition from meeting the fans’ expectations. A variety of athletes noted its progress as they recorded lower times, personal bests, and significant accomplishments both as individuals and as a team.
To view the full results of the meet, please follow the link below.