Track and field sees mixed results at TCU Invitational
Quentin Hope / Staff Writer
The outdoor portion of the track and field season began last weekend as UNT traveled to Fort Worth to compete in the Texas Christian University Invitational.
The whole team did not participate at TCU, but the handful that made the trip opened the eyes of head coach Carl Sheffield as the team enters the outdoor season.
“I think we competed, but we didn’t perform at a very high level,” Sheffield said. “Some people competed pretty well and some people did not.”
The team had two weeks to prepare leading up to its first outdoor meet, as they come off a successful indoor season. Sheffield emphasized that he has kept the team in training mode those two weeks the team was free, but he still pushes them to keep the intensity up. He said his goal for the team is for everyone to be as fast as they were at the end of the indoor season, so that the peak for his athletes will be higher.
“The intensity of our training sessions has to be higher,” Sheffield said. “And part of that comes from me being able to adjust our training sessions so they’re getting ready for their competition.”
Senior thrower Aaron Sirles took third in the hammer throw with a toss of 171.05 feet. Sirles’ throw earned him a spot in the record books as he breaks the outdoor record in his first outdoor meet of the season. Sirles has nothing but high expectations for the upcoming season coming off his performance.
“We had our chance at indoor, but outdoor were taking it,” Sirles said. “There’s going to be no question about it. Everybody is coming out here full force ready to go. Come with us or get left.”
Sirles said there is still is a chip on the team’s shoulder, not getting a single bid to the NCAA Indoor National Championships.
Meanwhile junior pole-vaulter Sarah Vann, did not do as well as she had hoped, but is staying optimistic as she took third in her event.
“It’s an opener for the outdoor season,” Vann said. “Kind of getting everyone’s feet wet again and getting ready to compete.”
Junior jumper Shahaf Bernini matched her personal best with a jump of 5-11.25 feet in the women’s high jump, capturing her first outdoor season title.
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