UTEP’s Talavera Wins 3000 as Miners Wrap Up Final Day at Texas Tech’s Corky Classic Saturday in Lubbock
LUBBOCK, Texas (KVIA) -- Kenneth Talavera captured the 3000-meter run championship as the UTEP track and field team concluded its first meet of the new season at the Texas Tech Corky Classic in the Sports Performance Center on Saturday afternoon.
Talavera clocked in a personal-best 8:14.95 to win his first career men's 3000 race. The senior distance runner edged out Arizona State's Dennis Rono (8:16.15) and Texas A&M's Gilbert Rono (8:16.55). Talavera sat in ninth the first 600 meters before climbing to fourth at the 2200 mark and finally pulled ahead of Rono at the 2800 mark. Talavera's previous best was 8:25.14 during the 2022 season.
Loubna Benhadja competed in the 600-yard race, clocking in a personal best and school-record 1:21.10. The senior placed third out of 33 competitors.
"It was a typical first meet to start the season. It was a mixed bag as expected but with little higher highs and lower lows as usual," Director of Track & Field Mika Laaksonen said. "Marissa (Simpson's) 60H time 8.02 (yesterday) should qualify her for NCAA Indoor Championships as that time should rank in the top 16 in the nation at the end of the season with room to spare. We had some other solid performances. Loubna's 600-yard time is a school record. Kenneth (Talavera) improved his 3k PB by about 15 seconds, and Jakub (Belik) jumped well for his season opener."
Belik hit 2.12 meters (6-11.5) to open his senior campaign.
Senior Ruth Jerubet placed 10th of 49 runners with a time of 4:59.93.
Addison Stricklin clocked in a 24.34 in her first collegiate 200-meter dash. The freshman finished ninth overall out of 77 sprinters.
Esther Osisike hurled a personal-best 13.76 meters (45-1.25) in the women's indoor shot put. The sophomore's previous indoor best in the event was 12.85 meters (42-2).
A pair of transfer triple jumpers set indoor personal bests with their first efforts in a UTEP uniform. Praise Djoma, an LSU transfer, reached a PR mark in the indoor triple jump of 12.44 meters (40-9.75), while Alex Brown, a transfer from South Dakota, leaped an indoor personal-best 13.72 meters (45-0.25).
UP NEXT
UTEP will travel to Albuquerque to compete at the New Mexico Team Open at the Albuquerque Convention Center from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1.
