Norfolk State won the 2023 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s outdoor track & field championship on Thursday, edging out Howard University in what turned into a thrilling final day.
The Spartans won their second straight title and their 11th overall. The Spartans also completed the season sweep (cross country, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field).
Norfolk State finished with 188.5 points to second-place Howard’s 176.5. Delaware State finished third with 97 points, while Maryland Eastern Shore (91) and North Carolina Central (80) rounded out the top five of the team standings.
Kenneth Giles was again named Outstanding Coach, while Regan Kimtai, who won three gold medals during the meet, was named Outstanding Runner and North Carolina Central’s Matthew Swepson repeated as the Outstanding Field Performer.
The Spartans won five gold medals on Thursday, highlighted by Kimtai and sprinter Kai Cole. Kimtai – who on Wednesday won the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase – added victories in the 1,500 meters (3:52.73) and 800 meters (1:51.32) on Thursday.
He led a Spartans sweep of the podium in the 1,500 meters, with Victor Jumo coming in second and Gidion Sigei third.
Cole won both the 100 and 200 meters; he ran a 10.29 to take the 100 over Howard’s Ashton Daniel, and his MEAC season-best 20.58 was good enough for gold in the 200.
Sigei later won his second gold medal of the meet, winning the 5,000 meters in 15:13.33. The Spartans also swept the podium in that race; Jumo was in second and Brian Rotich came in third.
In other action, Delaware State’s Peter Kamanu repeated as pole vault champion, clearing 4.50 meters (14 feet, 9 inches) and Howard’s Mekhi Abbott repeated in winning the gold medal in the javelin, recording a distance of 61.78 meters (202 feet, 8 inches).
The Bison’s Chase Drewery won the triple jump in a MEAC season-best 15.43 meters (50 feet, 7.5 inches).
Howard also won the 4×100-meter relay in 44.80, and Dylan Beard gave the Bison a gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles, running a 13.43 to match his meet-record time from Wednesday’s preliminary heats.
Delaware State earned another gold medal, as Alonzo Sims, Jr., won the 400-meter hurdles in 52.57, and Maryland Eastern Shore saw Janoi Brown take the men’s 400 meters in a MEAC season-best 46.49, while teammate Jahlanhnee Watkins came in second in 46.73.
The Hawks also won the 4×400-meter relay, clocking in at a MEAC season-best 3:09.19 and edging out Coppin State.
The top three finishers in each event earned All-MEAC honors.
Outstanding Runner: Regan Kimtai, Norfolk State
Outstanding Field Performer: Matthew Swepson, North Carolina Central
Outstanding Coach: Kenneth Giles, Norfolk State
Courtesy: MEAC
