LAKELAND, Fla. — Traveling down to the Sunshine State for the SEU Fire Invitational, the Campbellsville University Track & Field teams opened their outdoor season with a flurry of podium finishes, anchored by a pair of event victories on the men's side at Southeastern University.
- Martin Batel delivered a dominant victory in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, crossing the finish line first with a time of 9:22.48 to secure 10 team points.
- The men's 4x100-meter relay squad of Isaiah Johnson, Isiah Bain, Mouhamed Pouye, and Jason Baskerville struck gold with a winning time of 41.42 seconds.
- Freshman Mouhamed Pouye paced the CU sprinters with a stellar runner-up finish in the 200-meter dash, clocking a 21.85.
- Kayla Barr anchored the Lady Tigers' field efforts, recording a third-place finish in the hammer throw (45.15m) and a fourth-place finish in the discus (34.58m).
- Neo Khanye proved versatile in the horizontal jumps, earning third place in the triple jump (13.66m) and fourth place in the long jump (6.86m).
- Connor Crabtree vaulted to a podium finish, clearing 3.85 meters in the pole vault to take third place overall.
The Tigers were dialed in on the track, highlighted by a masterclass in the endurance events from
Martin Batel. Batel outpaced the field in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, breaking the tape at 9:22.48 to capture the event title and 10 valuable team points.
Speed was also on full display for Campbellsville. The men's 4x100-meter relay team, composed of
Isaiah Johnson,
Isiah Bain,
Mouhamed Pouye, and
Jason Baskerville, executed clean handoffs to secure a first-place finish with a blazing time of 41.42 seconds.
Individually, the sprint squad racked up high placements. Freshman
Mouhamed Pouye sprinted to a runner-up finish in the 200-meter dash (21.85), closely followed by veteran
Isiah Bain, who placed fourth in 21.93.
Matthias Brice led the way in the long sprints, taking third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.81, while teammate
Chris Thomas added a seventh-place finish (50.35). In the straightaway 100-meter dash,
Jason Baskerville clocked a 10.92 to secure fifth place overall.
The Tigers also fielded a strong 'B' squad in the 4x400-meter relay. The quartet of Nathan Sury, Austin Barnes,
Samuel Larson, and
Ethan Johnson battled to a third-place finish, combining for a time of 3:44.86. Individually,
Ethan Johnson was the top Tiger in the 800-meter run, placing eighth with a time of 1:58.07.
In the field events,
Neo Khanye led the jumping corps with a pair of standout marks. Khanye bounded to third place in the triple jump with a leap of 13.66 meters (44' 9.75") and added a fourth-place finish in the long jump, soaring 6.86 meters (22' 6.25").
Connor Crabtree represented Campbellsville well in the vertical jumps, clearing 3.85 meters (12' 7.5") to claim third in the pole vault.
In the throwing rings,
Kayla Barr was the definitive bright spot for the Lady Tigers. Barr unleashed a toss of 45.15 meters (148' 1") to claim third place in the hammer throw, and followed that up with a heave of 34.58 meters (113' 5") to secure fourth place in the discus.
On the track, the women's distance crew put together consistent, pack-running efforts.
Emma Madding secured a pair of top-10 finishes in a crowded field, placing 10th in the 1,500-meter run (4:59.93) and 10th in the 800-meter run (2:32.02). Karly Spalding finished right behind Madding in the 800 meters, taking 11th with a time of 2:32.20, while Rebecca Stringer (16th, 2:38.56) and Amelia Larson (19th, 2:42.13) added depth to the mid-distance roster.
