Mount Olive freshman Dylan Lafond is making sure the Trojans are well-represented in the NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships in Colorado next month. For the third time in as many weeks, Lafond recorded a provisional qualifying mark, this time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Saturday at the Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C.
Lafond was already having a big weekend when the steeplechase started. On Friday, Lafond set a school record in the 1,500 meters with a mark of 3:55.31. In the steeplechase, he had to overcome a fall into the water pit and still managed to post a time of 9:06.67, another school record, and another event at the NCAA's.
Nine different runners set personal bests in the two-day event that was primarily Division I athletes. Joining Lafond in the steeplechase was Chris Menjares, who posted a mark of 9:56.55, a personal best.
Caleb Henderson set two marks in Saturday's competition, finishing the 400 meters in 49.13 seconds, then posting a distance of 6.89 meters in the long jump.
Also in the field events, Nick Mac Adam and Scottie Harris shined in the jumps. Mac Adam set a personal best in the long jump (6.67 meters) while Harris' leap of 13.89 in the triple jump was also a new mark.
In the sprints, Stedmond Hampton posted a new personal best in 23.34 seconds.
In Friday afternoon's distance runs, Ronnie Sturgill (15:09.33) and Mike Munoz (15:20.96) set personal marks in the 5,000 meters. In the 10,000, Nick Springston (34:32.54) and Cirilo Perez (34:44.88) posted top marks.
The Trojans return to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for the Chanticleer Classic, hosted by Coastal Carolina University next Saturday.