MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State senior track athleteÂ
Desmond Bell has been trying his hardest establish a school record, and this weekend he accomplished his goal. Bell broke the school record in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:49.57 at the Beach Invitational in California. In addition, junior
Dylan Rich set the school record in the 1,500-meter run.
The Eagles also has six other men and two women compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational (BCI) at Azusa Pacific, Beach Invitational, and the prestigious Mt. Sac Relays in California.
Bell eclipsed a 39-year old mark in the 800, set by Kelvin Kelley (1:50.30) in 1977. He also ran the 800 at the BCI and finished at 1:51.02. Rich ran the 1,500-meter race at BCI in 3:48.40 to break
Gary Monroe's mark of 3:49.67 in 2014.
The men's team had three athletes win their sections of their respective races at Beach. Rich ran the 800 in 1:52.21 and won section nine, while freshman
Justin Moakler crossed the line in the 800 in 1:53.27 to win section seven. In the 1,500-meter run, senior
Evan Childers won section eight with a time of 4:01.99. Senior
Jorge Gil-Juarez (3:57.50) and freshman
Farah Abdulkarim (4:08.51) also competed in the 1,500-meter races at the Beach Invitational.
Childers ran the 3,000-meter steeplechase at BCI, finishing in 9:37.52, while Gil-Juarez (14:51.50) and freshman
Shane Rigsby (15:38.69) ran in the 5,000-meter runs.
The women's team was represented by senior
Jasmyn Andrews and junior Hannah Bailey. Bailey ran the 3,000-meter steeplechase at BCI with a time of 11:17.80 and ran the 1,500-meter event at Beach with a time of 5:00.81.
Andrews took part in the 5K at BCI with a time of 18:17.98 and ran the 1,500-meter event at Beach with a time of 4:58.33.
Both teams will be back in action at the Bellarmine Classic in Louisville this weekend.