Track meet gives way to new state and school records

The No. 13 men’s and No. 12 women’s Arizona track and field team set a number of school and national records this weekend at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

On Friday, senior high jumper Edgar Rivera-Morales set a school record with a personal best clearance of 7-5. The previous record was set at 7-4.75 by James Frazier in 1979.

Rivera-Morales’ clearance was tied for the No. 5 collegiate mark in the country and tied for No. 6 in the world. This clearance also set the Mexican national indoor record. Rivera-Morales shared the previous record at 7-4.25.

“Before coming here, I had the school record in mind and as the meet proceeded I started feeling good so I felt it could happen today,” Rivera-Morales said in a press release. “My jump felt really good and my approach felt really good and it was a good meet.”

In her 2013 debut on Friday, senior high jumper Brigetta Barrett made a clearance of 6-3, which was not only good for first place, but also for the collegiate leading mark. The clearance was tied for the No. 2 spot in the world this year.

“I felt a little nervous coming into this meet because I rested a lot more coming into the indoor season and I didn’t feel as prepared as normal,” Barrett said in a press release. “But I’m actually really happy because this is the highest I’ve jumped in an opening meet.”

The record-setting continued on Saturday as junior distance runner Lawi Lalang opened his 2013 season in winning style. Lalang broke his own school and world record in the 3000-meter race with a personal-best time of 7:42.79, earning first place and ranking him No. 1 in the world.

Senior hurdler Georganne Moline set an indoor school record in the 400-meter run with a personal-best time of 53.27, which earned her fifth place. The record was previously set in 1984 with a time of 53.34.

“[The 400-meter] went really well,” Moline said. “I trusted myself more in the beginning and definitely ran out of my comfort zone. Toward the end I had issues … I kind of died, but that’s OK. Getting stronger at practice will fix that.”

The men’s team ended the invitational in 11th place with 31 points. Arkansas and Florida took 1st and 2nd place with 124 and 79.5 points, respectively.

The woman’s team earned 48 points, leaving it in 6th place at the end of the meet. Florida won with 101 points, and LSU came in close second with 100 points.

“As an entire team, we saw a group that got together and learned how to fight,” head coach Fred Harvey said in a press release. “We had some really stellar performances across the board so we’re excited about that and we’re definitely looking forward to the next meet.”

The Wildcats will travel to New York to compete in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational on Friday.