CHICO, Calif. – University of California, Merced track recorded five event wins at the Wildcat Invitational hosted by Chico State on Saturday.
Martel Fields was the Bobcats standout performer once again. The defending CCAA Track Athlete of the Week won the 100, 200m, and 4x100 relay, and broke his own program-records in his individual events.
He starred in the 200m dash with a time of 20.91, now good for the second fastest time in all of NCAA Division II. He stopped the clock at 10.54 in the 100m final. He also ran a 10.57 in the 100m prelims.
Sharvin Manjrekar won his first 3000m steeplechase of the season with a CCAA leading time of 9:54.78, winning by more than 35 seconds.
Seneca Ybarra secured his first career win in the 400m hurdles and broke his own program-record in 57.34 seconds.
The men's 4x100 relay team rounded out the Bobcats five event wins. The relay squad of Naseem Hassaan, Fields, Medard Idi, and Nyj Joiner hit 41.18.
UC Merced finished top five in four other events.
Clarisel Lopez Obeso, the program's long jump record holder, returned to the long jump for the first time this season and took second place with a mark of 4.97m.
Lyra Barton finished fifth in the triple jump with a mark of 9.73m.
Nyj Joiner took fifth in the 100m (10.85) and 200m (21.81). Both times were personal-bests for Joiner as he bettered the third fastest time in program history.
Three other Bobcats improved top three times in program history, including Naseem Hassaan with a time of 10.83 in the 100m dash prelims. Chelsea Anyanwu turned in a 12.66 100m dash time and a 26.27 200m dash time. Ciarra Cabrera-Martinez ran the 400m in 1:04.26.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will return to action at West Coast Relays in Clovis, Calif., on Saturday, March 28. Fresno State will host the meet at Veterans Memorial Stadium.