WALNUT, Calif. — Danielle Spence soared to the longest triple jump in UTSA women's track & field history to headline Friday action for the Roadrunners at the Mt. SAC Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium.
Spence, a second-team All-American, skipped to a mark of 13.51 meters (44-4) with the aid of a 4.1 meters-per-second tailwind to finish second behind Oregon's Lexi Ellis, who leaped 13.57m (44-6.25) to take top honors in the 19-person field. The senior's effort will not count toward records or NCAA qualifying, but it did measure further than her school record of 13.42m (44-0.5) posted in a runner-up showing at the 2019 Conference USA Outdoor Championships.
Spence opened the competition with a foul and then touched the sand at a distance of 12.88m (42-3.25), followed by a 12.62m (41-5) mark. On her first try in the final, the Jamaican improved to 12.96m (42-6.25). The eight-time conference medalist then turned in a 13.08m (42-11) measurement before ending her day with the longest jump under any conditions of her career.
In the men's triple jump, Grant Szalek registered a mark of 15.45m (50-8.25) to place fourth. After opening with a 14.90m (48-10.75) jump, the senior from Perth, Australia, improved with a 15.11m (49-7) effort and then broke the sand at 15.33m (50-3.5) to secure a spot in the final. Szalek then measured 15.43m (50-7.5) before passing in the fifth round, setting up his final jump of 15.45m.
Bashiru Abdullahi clocked a season-best time in the preliminary round of the men's 110-meter hurdles. The junior from Nigeria sped to a time of 13.65 seconds that was aided by a 2.1 meters-per-second tailwind. It marked the second-fastest time of his UTSA career behind his wind-illegal 13.61 logged at the 2021 Roadrunner Invitational, which also stands as the best time under any conditions in program annals. The two-time C-USA Indoor 60m hurdles champion went on to finish fifth in the final with a 13.83 clocking in a race won by Arkansas' Phillip Lemonious in 13.56.
Back in the field, Ingeborg Gruenwald placed sixth in the women's long jump with a leap of 6.31m (20-8.5). The three-time C-USA champion measured 6.08m (19-11.5) on her first jump before posting improvements of 6.20m (20-4.25) and 6.30m (20-8) to assure a berth in the final. The Salzburg, Austria, native then had a leap of 6.13m (20-1.5) in the fourth round before recording her top measurement of the meet to finish sixth in the event won by Texas' Tyra Gittens (6.69m).
Earlier in the day, the men's 4x100m relay team of Dennis Phillips, Diego Pettorossi, Trevion McCalla and Brice Chabot passed the baton around the oval to a time of 40.46 to finish sixth, just ahead of Illinois (40.47) in a race won by Arizona State (39.64).
Marilis Remmel recorded a season-best mark of 47.06m (154-4) to finish eighth overall and sixth among collegians in the women's javelin. The Estonian posted her top throw on her first attempt of the day, just shy of her UTSA record of 47.65m (156-4) from the 2021 Alumni Muster.
Meanwhile, Jack Turner leaped to a wind-aided 7.52m (24-8.25) measurement to earn an eighth-place finish in the men's long jump. The reigning C-USA decathlon champion recorded his best jump of the day on his third trip down the runway, coming up just one centimeter short of his PB posted at last year's Alumni Muster.
In other action on the track, Alanah Yukich raced to a season-best time of 58.20 to finish ninth in the women's 400m hurdles, Pettorossi stopped the clock in 20.90 to place 14th overall and 13th among collegians in the men's 200m and Abby Balli logged a personal best in the women's 1,500m with a 4:35.24 clocking for 21st.
The Mt. SAC Relays will wrap up on Saturday.
UTSA Results
Men
100 Meters (Prelims)
31. (24.) Trevion McCalla 10.51
48. (38.) Diego Pettorossi 10.65
54. (43.) Dennis Phillips 10.72
200 Meters
14. (13.) Diego Pettorossi 20.90w (2.1)
27. (25.) Trevion McCalla 21.32w (2.7)
29. (27.) Dennis Phillips 21.37w (2.1)
43. (41.) Brice Chabot 21.72w (2.1)
400 Meters
36. (30.) Mike Roth 47.76
110-Meter Hurdles (prelims)
1. Bashiru Abdullahi 13.65w (2.1)
110-Meter Hurdles (final)
5. Bashiru Abdullahi 13.83
4x100-Meter Relay
6. UTSA (Dennis Phillips, Diego Pettorossi, Trevion McCalla, Brice Chabot) 40.46
Long Jump
8. Jack Turner 7.52mw (24-8.25)
- Christiaan Le Roux FOUL
Triple Jump
4. Grant Szalek 15.45m (50-8.25)
Women
100 Meters (prelims)
38. (33.) Thennelle Williams 11.88
45. (40.) Vera Chinedu 11.98w (2.6)
400 Meters
24. (21.) Marie Duvigneau 54.73
1,500 Meters
21. (20.) Abby Balli 4:35.24
10,000 Meters (Elite)
14. (11.) Maddie Boswell 34:31.11
400-Meter Hurdles
9. Alanah Yukich 58.20
33. (31.) Mackenzie Grimes 1:02.48
Long Jump
6. Ingeborg Gruenwald 6.31m (20-8.5)
15. (14.) Oreoluwa Adamson 6.02m (19-9)
22. (20.) Sigrid Kleive 5.98mw (19-4)
Triple Jump
2. Danielle Spence 13.51mw! (44-4)
Shot Put
22. Lacee Barnes 14.88m (48-10)
Discus
22. (19.) Lacee Barnes 47.18m (154-9)
Hammer
17. Acacia Astwood 54.24m (177-11)
Javelin
8. (6). Marilis Remmel 47.06m (154-4)
18. (15.) Sigrid Kleive 40.84m (134-0)
-UTSA-
