Gainesville, Florida - The 2024 NJCAA indoor track and field championships took place March 1 & 2 in Gainesville, Florida. The Trinidad State Trojans qualified 7 athletes to these championships, the most since returning track and field in 2017.
Friday afternoon started with action from the Trojans in the 5,000 meter races for both genders. Alliyah Molina came into the event ranked 1st on the women's side, but was guaranteed nothing with a strong field of contenders looking to steal her thunder. Molina would have nothing of the sort however. She followed a duo from Salt Lake Community College and Cloud Community College for half of the long distance race before those two athletes began to slow and Molina charged to the lead, never to be challenged again. During the second half of the race Molina created a 27 second gap over 2nd place by the time she reached the finish line as a National Champion. Her dominant win was only the start of a great two days for Molina.
Whether Molina ignited the fire, or the Trojans strong distance pedigree simply shined through doesn't matter. Meer minutes later Hanibal Haile toed the starting line in the men's 5,000 meters final. The event boasted likely the deepest field in the meet's history. Haile came into the race ranked 8th, but asserted himself in a fast running front pack immediately. The first 4,000 meters of the race saw constant jostling for position, elbows thrown, and spikes leaving their mark on the shins of the competitors. Nonetheless Haile never backed down. With four laps remaining all the main competitors were still at the front of the race and in contention for the win. Haile was the only one who had not yet taken a stab at the lead. That is until he burst into the lead with two laps remaining. Haile created a 15 meter gap over the chasers that would never be made up. Haile's final lap brought him an upset victory and named him the National Champion, and Trinidad State's second Champion in less than an hour. Kameron Eustace added another win for the Trojans in the second heat of the Men's 5,000 meters, though this heat was unable to produce a time fast enough to top the championship event that Haile won. Eustace ran a person best of 14minutes 48 seconds.
A few hours of rest was all the Trojans needed to be back in action in the 3,000 meters in the evening. Molina was once again a highlight. She faced stiff competition from a host of schools but was still able to sprint over the final laps of the event to finish in 2nd place, and gain her second All-American and podium finish of the weekend. In the men's race Haile once again stalked competitors for most of the race before sprinting into third place in the final lap and earninig himself a second podium finish. In the second heat Daniel Recio and Kyle Awelagte both had impressive races to run personal bests and finish in 15th and 25th place Nationally. The night would be capped off with Megan Garrett solidifying a place in the 1,000 meter final the next day by sprinting to the lead in the last 400 meters.
Day two of the NJCAA Championship saw action for the Trojans in the Mile finals and women's 1,000 meter final. Trinidad State had two ladies competing in the one mile event. Alliyah Molina and Megan Garrett both were contenders for the top spots in the race and did not disappoint. The duo ran close together for the first 1,200 meters of the 1,609 meter race. With 400 meters to go Molina sat a just behind Garrett in around 10th place. A yell from Molina sent the duo rocketing past competitors over the final two laps of the race. Despite tired legs from a full weekend of racing Molina finished in 5th place with a personal best time. Garrett faired a bit better finishing in 3rd place in Trinidad State Record time. This was Garretts first podium and All-American finish of the weekend, and Molina's third.
Hani Haile was back on the starting line again in the Men's mile final. A wreckless early pace immediately created chaos amongst trailing competitors trying to keep up. Haile followed in around 5th place for most of the race. Over the final lap Haile once again inflicted his sprint finish and darted to 3rd place. This would mark Haile's third All-American finish, podium finish, and school record of the weekend. Haile totaled 22 points on the weekend, the most of any competitor at the NJCAA Championships. Kameron Eustace was back in action in the second heat of the men's mile and grabbed himself another personal best time of 4 minutes 20 seconds.
Once again Megan Garrett capped off an exciting day of racing in the women's 1,000 meters. A slow early pace in the event meant constant changing of places for the runners. Garrett moved between 5th and 9th place multiple times. Despite being in 9th with two laps remaining Garrett changed gears and raced past many tiring runners. She finished in 4th place and earned a second podium and All-American finish on the weekend. The Trojans totaled two National Champions, six school records, eight podium finishes and eight All-American awards. They also added the highest scoring athlete of the meet on the men's side.
Coach Kyle Masterson said of the weekend, "We couldn't have asked these young athletes to do any better than they did. We nailed almost every race we competed in and left our mark on the Championship event."
The athletes will have a short rest before starting outdoor track on March 16th in Pueblo, Colorado.