2023 Blue Marlin Invitational Results

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Another full day of action inside the Virginia Beach Sports Center had Academy of Art track & field led by nationally strong highlights from Marie-Jeanne Ourega in multiple events, Yacouba Gnacko in the triple jump, and Lina Hanich in the 800m all during the Blue Marlin Invitational.

Ourega put forth some of her best marks of the season in dueling events, advancing to the finals of the 60m hurdles and leading the pack in the triple jump. The Communications & Media Technologies major began the day by taking fourth of 17 with an 8.74, her best time in the 60mH to that point before dropping to 8.65 in the final, splitting a pair from Hampton in second overall with an Indoor Nationals provisional that moved her up to 12th in the country.

Moments later, Ourega was thriving in the triple jump pit after she tied for first of nine competitors following the opening round. She proceeded to gain sole possession of the top spot on her fourth attempt then delivered her best jump of the day at 40-5.5 (12.33m) on her fifth, taking her to seventh in the nation as she bettered the provisional standard for the third time on Saturday.

The 800m saw Hanich take time off the mark that earned her Indoor Nationals provisional qualification two weeks ago as she paced the event's 27 competitors at 2:13.28. The Fashion Merchandising major rose to seventh in the country while Katharina Goetschl made her event debut just behind her teammate in second on the day at 2:15.21.

One day after his best indoor long jump to date, Gnacko completed his farthest long jump of the season. He was initially vying for first place, but it was not until he posted a distance of 49-5 (15.06m) on his fourth attempt that he rocketed to the top of the 10-jumper field as well as ninth nationally as a provisional qualifier for the postseason. Gnacko's teammate Mathieu Tshani excelled in the long jump, offering his own season best of 22-6.25 (6.86m) for third place out of 16.

Beginning Saturday by qualifying for the 60mH final alongside Crockett Schooler, Robin Black ended up 0.07 seconds from his best of 2022-23 with an 8.08 which earned him second in the final while Schooler claimed fifth at 8.26. Black then proceeded to turn in another would-be Indoor Nationals provisional 21.53 in the 200m where he placed first of 27 in a top three that was dominated by Academy of Art as Makarios Page (21.94) and Shareez Hamm (22.06) followed less than a second behind.

Page also had an opportunity to contest the first 60m dash of his collegiate career and he was one of two Urban Knights to make the final. The Music & Sound Design for Visual Media major began in the sixth spot out of 25 in the prelims before dropping his initial 7.14 mark to 7.10 for third in a final he shared with Jamaal Palmer who had a 7.18 in the prelims represent his best of the day.

In the women's 60m dash, Selena Arjona-Alcazar was the leader out of 34 with her 7.73 mark in the prelims. She then collected a runner-up result to Hampton's Jaydea Carter after reducing her time to 7.69 in the final.

A successful debut in the mile came for Grace Southern on Saturday as she took first of 25 competitors with a 5:00.44 mark that was followed closely by Lisa Redlinger who went 5:04.91 in her first collegiate indoor mile.

Finishing less than a second from 800m winner Dylan Christopher of UNC-Greensboro, Vaughn Lacour bettered his top time thus far by finishing second at 1:56.70 while Hudson Lockette swiped third place out of 20 with a 1:58.28.

Urban Knights made up three of the top six spots in the 400m with Omodiaogbe Oboh (50.34), Taj-Leon Wisdom (51.23), and Jaden Singleton (51.55) placing third, fifth, and sixth respectively out of 19. Michaela Andrews competed in her fifth different event this season, picking up seventh of 26 with a time of 59.80 in the 400m.

Closing out the day, the quartet of Schooler, Oboh, Lacour, and Wisdom combined for the win in the 4x400m, collectively going 3:21.04 while the women also ended in the upper tier at third of 13 as Hanich, Andrews, Southern, and Goetschl came across the finish line at 4:01.87.

With competition in the month of January now complete, ART U will turn its attention to the WSU Open & Combined Events meet taking place in Spokane once again on Feb. 2-4.