Distance medley, triple jump records fall in Spokane

Thursday, February 6

Spokane, Wash. / The Podium

Grand Canyon

Riverfront Invitational & Multis

Photo by: Jason Schillinger

2/8/2025 11:28:00 PM | Track and Field

Results Photo Gallery

Lopes compete at 3-day Riverfront Invitational & Multis in Washington

By: Josh Hauser

SPOKANE, Wash. — Three school records tumbled as Grand Canyon concluded its participation in the three-day Riverfront Invitational & Multis at The Podium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The result of a successful weekend was three new school records, an array of WAC-leading marks and some top-25 national marks.

"Overall, I thought he had a great weekend in Spokane with a lot of fantastic times and marks," GCU head coach Tom Flood said.

The multi-event competitions began rolling on Thursday and concluded with GCU athletes landing the top men's heptathlon and women's pentathlon marks in the WAC. Senior heptathlete Casey Tow finished with 5,415 points to finish second and lead the conference. Junior pentathlete Maliyah Ross checked in with 3,706 points to finish fourth and also lead the WAC.

"We started off the weekend with a couple of good performances from our multi-event athletes," Flood said. "In particular, Casey Tow and Maliyah Ross had scores that took over the WAC lead in their respective events."

The action picked up in earnest on Friday with 35 more Lopes joining GCU's four multi-event competitors in Spokane.

GCU's 200-meter event group has picked up notoriety as some of the best in the Western United States, and it did not disappoint on Friday. Lopes senior Justin Raines, junior Miguel Rosario III and freshman Cassie Small all improved on their 200 marks and placed among the WAC's elite.

"Friday night's fireworks came from our 200-meter group," Flood said. "Especially Justin Raines (20.79 seconds, No. 1 WAC, No. 15 NCAA) and Miguel Rosario (20.94, No. 2 WAC) on the men's side and Cassie Small (24.14, No. 2 WAC) on the women's side. Miguel also had a nice double on Saturday, running 6.70 in the 60-meter dash."

The short distances were not the only ones making their marks on Friday, as the GCU men's distance medley relay dropped the first school record of the weekend. The team of junior Germain Lemaitre, junior Jarron Stevens, senior Michael Cunningham and freshman Rayan Belkheir posted a mark of 10 minutes, 5.38 seconds to top the previous school record of 10:06.33, which was set at the 2023 WAC Indoor Championships.

Moving into the final day of the meet on Saturday, a pair of Lopes triple jumpers stole the headlines by posting new school records.

Senior Taryn Burkett — the two-time reigning WAC Women's Field Athlete of the Week — broke GCU's triple-jump record for the third straight weekend. After extending the top GCU mark to 13.0 and 13.01 meters the last two weekends, Burkett leaped 13.28 on Saturday for the event's top mark and No. 16 mark in the NCAA.

Utah State transfer Godwin Charles, a freshman, wasted no time in etching his place in GCU history, marking a 15.41-meter triple jump to break Kevin Lashley's 2013 mark of 15.34.

"We had double the fun in the triple jump with two school records," Flood said. "Taryn Burkett with a jump of 13.28 meters (No. 1 WAC, No. 16 NCAA) and newcomer Godwin Charles jumping 15.41 meters.

"I was also impressed with both (sophomore) Prosper Ekporere's preliminary (7.73) and final (7.72) times in the 60-meter hurdles."

Both of Ekporere's results were WAC-leading times and put him at No. 25 in the nation.

The penultimate regular-season indoor meet awaits GCU in Albuquerque next weekend with the Don Kirby Elite Invitational taking place on Friday and Saturday.

"We can't wait to get back home to sunny, warm Phoenix and will look forward to getting even better next weekend back in Albuquerque," Flood said.