University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
Texas Relays
Sierra Third in Texas Relays Steeplechase
3/30/2017 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
AUSTIN â€" Senior distance runner Selena Sierra turned in the Houston Cougar Men's and Womens' Track & Field teams' top performance on the second day of the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, present by Spectrum, on Thursday.
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SIERRA LEADS THE PACK
Sierra posted Houston's top finish of the day, with her third place effort in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Sierra, the school record holder and 2016 American Conference champion in the event, crossed the finish line in 10:40.85 to claim the bronze.
TWO DAYS, 10 EVENTS
Freshman Nathaniel Mechler began Thursday's action with the final five events of the decathlon. Mechler started the day with 3,835 points and opened with a ninth place finish in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.11 to collect 836 points.
Mechler picked up 472 points in the seventh event, the discus, where he threw 99-8.0 (30.38m). He would follow that performance with a 10th place finish in the pole vault, going up-and-over the bar at 15-1.0 (4.60m) to tally 460 points.
From there, Mechler would garner 558 points in the javelin with a best mark of 157-3.0 (47.93m) to enter the final event ranked 10th with 6,491 points. Mechler finished strong with his best finish of the weekend, running 4:27.04 to finish third in the 1,500-meter run. The finish for the Ontario, Canada, native gave him 7,255 points and moved him to seventh in the competition while posting the No. 9 decathlon total in the nation this season.
THROW DOWN THE HAMMER
Houston had a pair of throwers enter the hammer throw competition on Thursday. Sophomore Mikaila Martin was in the ring first in the women's hammer, where her top mark traveled 179-4 (54.67m) to place her 13th overall. Senior Damon Thompson followed in the men's edition with a top mark of 180-5 (54.99m) to finish 23rd.
HURDLES TO OPEN
Running action on Thursday kicked off with the 400-meter hurdles, where Houston fielded a competitor in each of the men's and women's races. Freshman Birexus Hawkins won heat seven of the women's race in 1:01.65, placing her 38th overall. Sophomore Raymund Clarke would also win his heat in the men's edition of the race. Clarke crossed the line in 52.16 to take heat five and finish 13th overall.
DISTANCE HIGHLIGHTS THE NIGHT
Thursday's Texas Relays were all about the distance races, beginning with the invitational 800-meters to open the evening session. Junior Chris Ibarra finished 11th in the competition after running 1:54.39 in the 2-lap race.
Jennifer Dunlap was the next Cougar distance runner on the track, in the women's 1,500-meter run. Dunlap clocked a 4:39.65 to finish eighth. In the men's version of the race, sophomore Blake Contreras ran 3:59.94 to place 11th overall.
Sophomore Maddie Brown capped the evening of the second day in the women's 5,000-meter run. Brown ran the Texas Relay's longest event in a personal-best 17:09.66 to finish 13th.
WATCH IT LIVE
All four days of the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays will air via the Longhorn Network. Coverage of the opening day multi events will air on a tape delay beginning at 6 p.m., Wednesday. Thursday's coverage will also consist of a tape delay for the multi events at 4:30 p.m., as well as live action beginning at 6 p.m.
Friday's action will air live from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and then against from 7-9 p.m., while Saturday's action will be live from 1:30-5:30 p.m.
Action will also air live via ESPN3.com, however the online stream will require an affiliated provider with a subscription to the Longhorn Network.
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Players Mentioned
