Donald Chiyangwa Sets Second Straight School Record in the 400m

The New Mexico Junior College track and field teams competed in the Don Kirby Tailwind Open in Albuquerque, NM on Thursday, April 20.

The Thunderbirds made a quick one-day trip up to the University of New Mexico. The T-Bird men had two athletes set school records and five athletes improve on their previous national qualifying standard.

Takudzwa (Donald) Chiyangwa set a school record in the 400m on Thursday. The freshman sprinter crossed the line in 45.42. The Zimbabwe native currently owns the NJCAA No. 1 time in the 400m and the 200m.

The time earned the freshman the NJCAA men's division USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honors for the second straight time. 

Dalton Smith set the outdoor pole vault school record with a 4.96m clearance. The sophomore is No. 1 in the NJCAA in the event. Smith has the NMJC school record in the indoor and outdoor pole vault. 

Kimarlie Stewart moved to No. 6 in the NJCAA with his 10.26 sprint in the 100m. The freshman improved on his previous standard by .05 seconds. 

Aymane El Haddaoui improved on his national standard by .04 seconds with a time of 21.08 in the 200m. The freshman climbed to No. 23 in 200m for the NJCAA.   

Alex Keter improved on his previous national standard with an raw time of 4:05.03 that altitude ajusted to a personal-best run in the 1500m.

The Thunderbird men remain No. 2 in Week 5's USTFCCCA NJCAA Men's Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index.   

Daniel Hinds was the lone woman for the T-Birds who improved on her national qualifying mark this week in the high jump. The sophomore's leap of 1.69m is No. 5 in the NJCAA for her event. 

The Thunderbird women stay at No. 1 in Week 5's USTFCCCA NJCAA Women's Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index. 

NMJC track and field travels to Lubbock, Texas to compete in the Outdoor/Corky Crofoot Shootout Saturday, April 29.