HAYS – Freshman Miguel Gaisah Essuman broke a school record and four other Hutchinson Community College athletes set personal records on Thursday at the Alex Francis Relays at Fort Hays State University.
Gaisah Essuman broke a 21-year-old Blue Dragon men’s Blue Dragon outdoor track and field record when he won the Alex Francis long jump with a personal best 25 feet, 0 3/4 inches (7.64 meters). The NJCAA qualifying jump broke the 2005 record of Robert Franklin, who jumped 24-9 1/4.
Essuman becomes the 13th Blue Dragon qualifier for the upcoming NJCAA Outdoor Championships in May at Hobbs, New Mexico.
There were four other personal- or season-best performances on Thursday.
Keith Rogers placed second in the 400-meter hurdles with a PR time of 45.46 seconds. That mark tied for the 10th-fastest time in Blue Dragon history.
Aidan Anderson also posted a personal record in the 400-meter hurdles with a eighth-place time of 57.31 seconds.
Da’Shawn Lester had a season’s best time of 48.12 seconds in the 400 meters, where he placed second. Lushane Blake placed fifth in the 400 with a personal-record time of 48.58 seconds.
Thrower Colby Moler played sixth in the Javelin with a personal-best mark of 159-11 (48.73 meters).
Other top Blue Dragon performances from Thursday at the Alex Francis Classic:
+ Jahmari Clifton was second in the high jump with a clearance of 6-8 3/4 (2.05 meters).
+ Richard College was fourth in the high jump at 6-4 3/4 (1.95 meters).
+ Karson Engelland was fifth in the shot put with a top distance of 43-4 1/2 (13.22 meters). Engelland was 11th in the hammer throw at 130-11 (39.91 meters).
The Blue Dragons will next compete at the Region 6 Outdoor Championships next weekend in Arkansas City.
