Alabama freshman Doris Lemngole sets a school record in the 5,000-meter dash as track and field brought home six event titles and 27 top 10 finishes this weekend at the Tiger Paw Invitational and in Boston at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational.
Head coach Dan Waters is pleased with the way his team finished up the indoor regular season.
“Multiple student-athletes set PRs again this weekend, which is a great way to close out the regular season.”
David Hemery Valentine Invitational
Alabama freshman Doris Lemngole made her debut in the women’s 5,000-meter dash, and she now owns the school record. She came in third place against the pros with her record-breaking time of 15.02.71, which is the second-fastest indoor collegiate 5,000-meter of all time. She adds this accomplishment to her growing list of accolades as she was named the 2023 cross-country SEC women’s freshman of the year last season.
Sophomore Hilda Olemomoi finished seventh in the women’s 3,000-meter, and she emerged as the top collegiate athlete in this event.
Waters said he is thrilled with the performances Lemngole and Olemomoi executed.
“We had numerous outstanding individual performances across the country, with none bigger than Doris posting the second-faster indoor women’s 5,000-meter in collegiate history, breaking our school record along the way at Boston while Hilda finished as the fastest collegiate runner in the women’s 3000-meter event,” Waters said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the work those two have put in with Coach [Nick] Stenuf to get to this point.”
Tiger Paw Invitational
Once again, junior Ruben Banks and graduate student Chandler Hayden swept the weight throw events. Banks and Hayden have finished first in every indoor competition that they’ve participated in so far this season.
Banks won the men’s weight throw invitational with a new personal best throw of 23.88 meters, which leads the NCAA. He holds the second-best men’s weight throw mark in program history. In the women’s weight throw invitational, Hayden achieved a new personal best with a throw of 22.80 meters. She holds the second-best women’s weight throw mark in program history.
“I’m super proud of him and his preparation with Coach [Derek] Yush,” Waters said.
The Crimson Tide also swept the mile events thanks to graduate student Jami Reed and junior Arthur Graham. Reed clocked a 4:48.40 to claim her crown in the women’s mile. Graham earned a new personal best by clocking a time of 4:04.71 in the men’s mile.
Freshman Ethan Lemons won the men’s 3000-meter with a personal best time of 8:07.87. He’s not the only member of the Crimson Tide who finished in the top five as Graham finished third and senior Jacob Harris came in fourth. On the women’s side, sophomore Lily Henne came in second with her personal best time of 9:54.84, and sophomore Crawford West finished third with a time of 10:00.25, which is also a personal best for her.
The Tiger Paw Invitational concluded with the men’s 4×400-meter relay, where the team of graduate student Hasani Barr, senior Chris Robinson, junior Tarsis Orogot and senior Khaleb McRae finished in first place with a 3:03.28. Their time is the third-best time in program history.
With the conference championships coming up, Waters said he wants his team to keep grinding and stay locked in.
“With SECs around the corner, it’s important to keep our foot on the gas and training this next week.”
On Feb. 23-24, Alabama will compete in the 2024 SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
