Track qualifies two more for nationals: Chaney and Rodriguez

By Angela Lingg

The HCC track team competed at Pittsburg State University on Jan. 29.

About 20 HCC athletes went on the trip.

The meet had over 1,000 competitors and consisted of Division I, Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA athletes.

At the meet, the men qualified two more athletes for nationals: Wes Chaney, Hutchinson, finished seventh overall in the men’s long jump.

Chaney’s jump was a national qualifying jump of 22 feet, 9 and three-fourths inches.

Orser Rodriguez, Harlingen, Texas, was the other national qualifier for the Blue Dragons.

Rodriguez qualified in the 800-meters with a time of 1:56 and placed 28th overall.

His time was the sixth-fastest indoor time in Blue Dragon history.

In the weight throw, throwers Junior Joseph, Wichita, and Dallas Thompson, Madison, continued to show improvement.

They both threw personal bests at the meet and have already qualified for nationals.

Joseph threw the second-best weight throw in HCC indoor history with a throw of 56 feet 5 inches and placed 5th overall.

Dallas Thompson threw the eighth-best throw in HCC indoor history.

The throw was 50 feet 6 inches.

Nacier Thompson, Fountain, Colorado, ran the 200-meters and ran the fifth-fastest time in HCC indoor history with a time of 21.96 seconds.

Shaquellra Collins, Houston, Texas, ran the second fastest HCC indoor time for the women with a time of 26.15 seconds.

With just three meets remaining in the indoor track regular season, the HCC track team will be competing again on Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Fred Beile Classic in Crete, Nebraska.

So far, Hutch will be taking 14 competitors to nationals.

NJCAA Indoor Nationals will take place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on March 4 and 5.

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