Yotuel Garcia Finishes Fifth in the 5K on Day One of Indoor Nationals

Saturday, March 4, 2023 - 9:00 am ct | Dylan Kessler

Topeka, KS - Yotuel Garcia of the Thunderbirds men's track & field team earned All-American honors with a fifth-place finish in the 5000m on day one of the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Championships.

Garcia also broke his own school record for the event by 12 seconds as he ran a personal-best time of 14:25.82. Javier Garcia (20th - 15:41.99) and Yael Caballero Ferro (22nd - 15:51.53) also ran in the 5K.

In the 400m prelims, Joshua Boehm ran a PB time of 47.77 to qualify for the final. Donovan Castillo was also able to qualify after running 47.91.

In the 1000m prelims, Ernest Green qualified for the final and Hayden Gelder ran a PB time of 2:31.63.

Theodore Gosselin is currently in 11th place after day one of the heptathlon.

The distance medley relay team (Samuel Green, Joshua Anderson, Gelder, and E. Green) finished in 10th place with a time of 10:26.

In the long jump, Jaylyn Martin was 10th (7.10m), Jeremiah Reed was 14th (7.03m), and Ousman Jagne was 21st (6.85m).

In the 800m prelims, S. Green just missed out on qualifying for the final, as he was 10th (1:55.68). Nathan Pavelchik was 28th (2:00.33).

In the 60m prelims, Tyson Tippett was 13th (6.81), Jagne was 17th (6.83), and Khamis Hassan was 23rd (6.87). In the 200m prelims, Tippett was 16th (21.59). In the 60m hurdles prelims, Miles Fears was 15th (8.31).

In the pole vault, Bryant Palmer and Emitt Post both were unable to clear a height 

Day two of Indoor Nationals will wrap up on Saturday.