05 Feb 2025 Men’s Distance Relay team among nation’s fastest
TOPEKA, Kansas — The Little Rock Men’s Distance Relay team stole the show at the Washburn Open over the weekend, not only establishing new school, facility, and meet records in the event, but recording the second-fastest time in the nation on the way to winning gold at Washburn University on Friday.
The team of Nick Newby (1200m), Juan Garza (400m), Devin Stevens (800m), and Andrew Payton (1600m) recorded a time of 9:43.80 in the event, breaking the school record by almost 15 full seconds. It was one of four school records set by the team over the weekend in Kansas.
Payton also toppled a 24-year-old school record in the men’s 3000 meters, recording a time of 8:10.21 to best the previous mark by nine seconds. Sutton Manatt set a new high mark for the program in the men’s pole vault with a winning clearance of 16-04.75, while Alexia Washington crushed a 31-year-old school record in the women’s long jump with a leap of 19-09.75. She earned two gold medals over the weekend, also winning the triple jump (40-07.00).
Along with his part in the record-setting performance by the distance relay team, Stevens also took silver in the men’s 800 meters, setting a new personal record with a time of 1:51.40, the fourth-fastest mark in school history.
Others to win gold included Gabriel Torres in the men’s 60 meters with a new personal-best time of 6.70 seconds, and Nicole Thomas in the women’s high jump (5-02.25). The women’s 4×400 relay team also crossed the finish line first, thanks to the running of Jasmine Torres, Takia Palmer, Aaliyah Booker, and Majesty Omeye. Their time of 3:49.55 ties for fourth-best in program history.
Aaliyah Mathis and Layloni Watson earned silver medals in the women’s shot put and triple jump, respectively. Mathis’ best throw measured 47-10.50, while Watson cleared 39-07.75 on her best attempt. Johnathan Jones won bronze in the high jump with a best leap of 6-09.50, the fourth-best in Little Rock history, while Brooklyn Marcee was third in the women’s pole vault (12-08.25).
Little Rock will gear up for its biggest meet of the season – the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, scheduled or Feb. 14-15.
