INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Johnathan Farquharson, Abilene Christian University, FR, Freeport, Bahamas, Orlando Christian Preparatory
Farquharson won the 55-meter dash twice while making his collegiate debut at the Masked Rider Open hosted by Texas Tech. Farquharson posted the fastest prelim time of 6.33 seconds in a field of 70 runners and then edged freshman David Winters of Barton County CC by .003 seconds with a time of 6.30. Farquharson’s provisional mark is currently the sixth fastest among all D-II athletes and places him just outside the school’s all-time top-10 list. Farquharson also ran the leadoff leg for an ACU 4x400 relay that placed sixth in 3:20.12.
MEN’S FIELD
Jordan Yamoah, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, FR, Arlington, NY, Arlington HS
Yamoah made a splash nationally in his first meet as a Javelina in the pole vault. He earned national honorable mention from the USTFCCCA after clearing a height of 5.25m (17’2-3/4”) at the Masked Rider Open. The height is an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships and is tops in the nation by a foot and a half.
WOMEN’S TRACK
Elea Diarra, Abilene Christian University, FR, Lyon, France
Diarra, a 2012 London Olympian, chased down several runners over the final 100 meters to win the 400m in 55.73 seconds and later ran anchor for the 4x400-meter relay, which finished fourth overall with a time of 3:49.09. Both of Diarra’s times were NCAA provisional marks and rank among the top-10 performances in D-II this season.
WOMEN’S FIELD
Amanda Ouedraogo, Abilene Christian University, SR, Hauts de Seine, France, Descartes HS
Ouedraogo, a four-time all-American, will be heading back to the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships this winter to defend her triple jump title after winning her marquee event Saturday at Texas Tech’s Masked Rider Open. Ouedraogo, a senior and native of Hauts de Seine, France recorded a distance of 41 feet-0.25 inches (12.50 meters) against a field of 22 competitors. Her triple jump is the second best in NCAA D-II this season to Kearah Danville’s leap of 41-11.25 (12.78m).