CHICAGO (Jan. 27, 2023) – The UIC track and field teams had strong performances at DePaul's Blue Demon Alumni Classic, held at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park. Over the course of two days, multiple Flames claimed top finishes, including a first-place time in the unseeded mile for by both senior
Daniela Martinez (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) and freshman
Theodore Cunningham (Palatine, Ill./Fremd).
COACH'S COMMENT
"Our coaching staff is proud with the effort our team competed with this weekend as we continued to have several new personal bests and additional performances enter our top-10 all time lists," said head coach
Paul Zavala. "We look forward to the next few invitationals on our schedule as they give us opportunity to compete against some of the best teams in the Midwest and prepare for the MVC Indoor Conference Championships next month."
TOP FINISHERS
Women:
- Martinez claimed the top spot in the mile, crossing the finish line at 5:04.25. Graduate student Cailyn Persinger (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit West/UMKC) finished three spots behind, coming in fourth (5:05.75), followed by freshman Indigo Sterud (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah) in sixth (5:14.64). Martinez's time put her fifth in UIC record books, while Persinger is now seventh in Flames' history for the event.
- After qualifying for the 60m hurdle finals on Friday, junior Nyarai Terry (Chicago, Ill./Thorton) finished third on Saturday with a time of 9.06.
- Freshman Chinenye Ifeajekwu (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) took third for the 400m (58.93), while senior Haley Dahl (Belvidere, lll./Belvidere North) finished fourth (58.95).
- Freshman Sariyah Watson (Dekalb, Ill./Dekalb) came in fourth place in the 300m, clocking in at 42.38. Classmate Amiriah Larry (Chicago, Ill./Noble/Muchin/Middlebury) finished two spots behind her, placing sixth (43.20).
- Freshman Colette Lampa (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) finished in sixth place in the unseeded 800m race, recording a new indoor personal best of 2:28.10.
- Freshman Ava Maglaya (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) leaped 5.07m in the long jump for the Flames, placing fourth.
Men:
- Cunningham placed first in the mile (4:22.64), while classmate Alexander Das (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East) finished fourth in the event (4:25.64).
- In the 60m dash, Paul Sackman (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) placed fourth on Saturday with a time of 7.03. The junior also finished seventh in the 200m, with a time of 22.35.
- In jumps, freshman Joel Anyan (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) placed fourth in high jump (1.80m), while senior Anthony Gordon (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) came in fifth for long jump (6.27m).
UP NEXT
The Flames will head next week to South Bend, Ind. for the Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame. The two-day meet runs from Friday through Saturday.
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
For more information on UIC's track & field and cross country programs, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_XCTF or @UICFlames) and Instagram (@UIC_XCTF or @uicflames).
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