New York, N.Y. – Two Long Island University school records were shattered on day one and two were broken on day two of the New Balance Invitational. On Friday, junior Jessie Gaines set a new mark in the 60-meter hurdles while sophomore Brian Richards set a new mark in the long jump. On Saturday, Gaines broke a second record in the triple jump, while senior Julius Mutekanga broke the school record in the 800-meter run.

 

Gaines raced to an 8.38 in the 60-meter hurdles, surpassing Camilla Harris' record of 8.54 set back in 2003. Richards leapt to a mark of 7.53 meters in the long jump, bettering senior team mate Corryl Boyd's mark of 7.33 meters from back in 2008.

 

Richards also saw success in the 60-meter dash, racing to a 6.99, his best mark of the season so far. In the 400-meter dash prelims, Boyd clocked in at 48.82, another season-best mark. Seniors Mutekanga and Sam Egadu competed in the 400-meter dash championships, racing to a 49.43 and 50.60, respectively.

 

In the 500-meter dash, sophomore Kenneth Wallace Whitfield logged a time of 1:06.97. In the eastern 3000-meter run, sophomore Rogers Kipruto lowered his season best time from a 9:22 .67 to a 8:38.45, good enough for 12^th place. Kipruto's performance was second in the Northeast Conference behind Wagner's Zachary Spector.  

 

On the women's side, sophomore Amber Mitchell put up a pair of strong performances in the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash, clocking in at 7.86 and 25.62. Gaines raced to a 7.58 in the 60-meter dash, her best mark of the season. Junior newcomer Kadisha Wickham posted her first sub-one minute time as a Blackbird in the 400-meter dash, running a 59.34.

 

Mutekanga ran a 1:50.56 in the 800-meter run at on the second day of competition, breaking his previously set school record from back in 2009. 

Gaines also set a new triple jump record, leaping to a mark of 12.80 meters. The jump puts her past Heather Patton's mark of 12.57 meters set back in 2009. Senior Danay Spencer also competed in the triple jump, recording an 11.94.

Junior Jazmin Waller took first place in the eastern triple jump, clearning a bar of 1.65 meters.

The Blackbirds travel in Landover, Md. on Feb. 12-13 for the Northeast Conference Championships.