GCU records fall in Albuquerque meet

Friday, January 24

Albuquerque, N.M. / Albuquerque Convention Center

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational

Photo by: Chris Baumgardner

1/25/2025 6:49:00 PM | Track and Field

Results

School records broken by Lemaitre in 800, Burkett in triple jump

By: Josh Hauser

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Two program records tumbled as Grand Canyon competed in the two-day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational at Albuquerque Convention Center on Friday and Saturday.

GCU junior Germain Lemaitre broke the 800-meter record with a mark of 1 minute, 49.52 seconds. Lopes senior Taryn Burkett took down the program's record for triple jump with a mark of 13.0 meters.

"We had a great couple of days this weekend in Albuquerque," GCU head coach Tom Flood said. "We had two school records go down with Germain Lemaitre's in the men's 800 meters, which is No. 1 in the WAC and No. 15 in the nation. The other school record was Taryn Burkett in the triple jump with the No. 1 WAC mark and No. 23 in NCAA."

Lemaitre broke his school record of 1:49.76 that he set at the same event last year. His new school record of 1:49.52 gets an altitude adjustment to 1:48.91.

Burkett shattered her school record of 12.65 meters that she set as a freshman in 2022 at the Washington State Invitational.

GCU also had more competitors emerge from the meet with top WAC marks.

Lopes senior Justin Raines ran the 200 in 20.80 seconds for the conference's top mark and No. 11 NCAA mark. Raines also ran the 60-meter race in 6.69.

Junior Ben Stratman broke the 47-second barrier in the 400 meters, clocking in at 46.82 to top the WAC and rank No. 19 in NCAA.

Freshman Cassie Small ran 200 meters in 24.30 seconds for the season's best mark in the WAC.

GCU's success in the 60-meter hurdles also continued.

"It was also awesome to see our men's 60-meter hurdle group advance five guys to the final against some very talented hurdle schools," Flood said. "We were led by (sophomore) Prosper Ekporere's 7.83. To have four guys run under 8 seconds this season is great.

"It was also very nice to see several of our newcomers perform very well."

In addition to Small's 200-meter success, other GCU newcomer highlights included:

Freshman Alona Haymore ran 2:14.32 in the 800 meters, altitude adjusted to 2:13.51 for the second-best mark in the WAC
In the mile run, sophomores Michael Archie (4:16.49, altitude adjusted to 4:10.91) and Ethan Smith (4:18.70, altitude adjusted to 4:13.07)

With familiar destinations, GCU will split its squad for the first time this season next weekend.

"We will split our team in to two groups next weekend with some heading back to UNM and others back to NAU," Flood said.

The Ron Mann Classic will be hosted in Flagstaff on Friday, while the New Mexico Team Open, another two-day meet, awaits in Albuquerque on Friday and Saturday.