Ruiz Sets New Meet Record at Arnie Invite
Riverside City College found success at the 10th Annual Arnie Robinson Invitational, with several Tigers winning their events and one setting a new meet record.
Ernesto Ruiz saved the best for last, winning the longest event of the night in record fashion. He finished the 10K in 30 minutes, 29.86 seconds, which set a new meet record and gave Ruiz a guaranteed spot in the 3C2A State Championship later this year.
Edward Ta'amilo – who has already qualified for the state championship in all three throwing events – won the hammer with a throw of 52.93 meters, while Christian Burroughs took second with a throw of 50.46 meters.
Mekhi Gilmore won the 400-meter race with a time of 48.42 seconds, securing a spot in the state championship with an automatic qualifier (AQ).
Ta'amilo also grabbed second in the discus with a throw of 50.49 meters, while Isaiah Butler took fourth with a mark of 49.14 meters – which secured his spot in the state championship. Ta'amilo took second in the shot put (15.25 meters), while Burroughs took third with a throw of 14.40 meters (AQ).
Bryson Williamson tied for second in the high jump after clearing 1.95 meters on his last attempt, giving the freshman an AQ.
Three Tigers finished in the top five of the triple jump, led by Devyn Smith's mark of 13.95 meters (AQ). Quinten Flowers followed at 13.93 meters (AQ), while Jason Allen posted a jump of 13.07 meters for fourth.
Riverside's 4x100 relay team of Marcellus Linton, Elijah Davis, Jacob Petrick and Kye Fowlkes took second, just .08 seconds behind first place with a time of 41.38 seconds (AQ). The Tigers 4x400 team (Gilmore, Petrick, Jack Slavin, Davis) also took second in 3:25.84.
Tschaikowsky Brown (14.99 seconds, AQ) and Rowan Hudson (15.40 seconds) came in third and fourth, respectively, in the 110-meter hurdles.
Anthony Ruiz and Slavin came one right after the other in the 800-meter, with Ruiz clocking in at 1:56.46, while Slavin was right on his tail at 1:56.61.
In the 200-meter dash, Marcellus Linton crossed the finish line in 21.61 seconds (AQ), which was the fastest collegiate time in the race.