Sophomore Louie Hinchliffe, and senior Shaun Maswanganyi take first and second place in the men’s 100 meter. | Courtesy of UH Athletics/Gunnar Rathbun
Houston track & field secured 12 qualifications for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships following late-week action in Fayetville’s NCAA West Preliminaries.
Sophomore Louie Hinchliffe and senior Shaun Maswanganyi took first and second place in the men’s 100-meter heat. Hinchliffe clocked in with a wind-assisted 9.84 (+2.5), while Maswanganyi finished second at 9.89 (+2.5).
Maswanganyi qualified for his second individual event with a 20.08, first-place finish, in the men’s 200-meter. The sprinter has advanced to the 100-meter and 200-meter championship heats for four consecutive seasons.
Hinchilffe and Maswanganyi joined senior Ireon Brown and freshman Cayden Broadnax in the men’s 4×100-meter relay, where their 38.80, second-place finish, secured them a ticket to Eugene.
Graduate Sydni Townsend, senior Iman Babineaux, graduate Kelly-Ann Beckford and freshman Michaela Mouton finished first in the women’s 4×400 meter 3:28.14.
Mouton extended her school record in the women’s 400-meter with her time of 50.96. Additionally, she posted a personal best time in the women’s 200-meter at 23.06.
Beckford won her heat in the 800-meter with a 2:03.99 to advance.
Townsend, who will appear in her third NCAA Outdoor Championships, ran a 55.80 in the women’s 400-meter hurdles for a second-place mark in her heat and fourth overall.
Mouton extended her school record in the women’s 400-meter with her time of 50.96. She posted a personal best time in the women’s 200-meter at 23.06.
Senior De’Vion Wilson clocked in at 13.24 for the 110-meter hurdles, improving his school record. The hurdler is tied for the fastest qualifying time in the nation.
Senior Christyan Sampy clinched a share of the top spot in the men’s pole vault with a mark of 5.42m.
Freshman Antrea Mita showed out for the Cougars with a personal best of 2.17 meters in the men’s high jump.
Senior David Ajama will compete in the men’s triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championship for the first time after a personal best of 16.07 meters secured him a first-place position in the triple jump.
The 12 qualifiers will head to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 5-8.
