LAWTON, Oklahoma (April 3, 2025) - The Cameron University Aggies made a strong showing today at the prestigious John Jacobs Invitational at the University of Oklahoma. Among the standout performances were Kaat de Staercke's remarkable new school record in the women's 800m and Kgaogelo Moloisi's impressive second-place finish in the men's 5000m, both of which elevated the Aggies' spirit on a day full of fierce competition and personal bests.

Kaat de Staercke Breaks Record in the Women's 800m
Kaat de Staercke led the charge for the Aggies as she set a school record with a time of 2:16.84. This performance also marked a personal best for the talented runner, as it showcased her dedication and skill on the track. De Staercke's achievement was a highlight of the day, making her an undeniable star for the Aggies.
Meanwhile, her teammates in the 800m race also put forth solid performances, as Akaya Lightbourne finished with a time of 2:26.91, Gracie Ortiz at 2:31.48, and Terriona Taylor crossed the line for a time of 2:35.12.

Kgaogelo Moloisi Powers Through to Second Place in the Men's 5000m
In the men's 5000m, Kgaogelo Moloisi impressed everyone with a stellar performance with his second place finish and set a new personal best time of 14:28.35. His relentless pace and strength in the final laps ensured that his position was secured, and his performance was truly one of the most thrilling of the meet. Moloisi's display of endurance and focus was a testament to his hard work, and his second-place finish in such a competitive field is one for the books.

Aggies in the Sprints
In the men's 100m, Lane Cocheran and Levi Young represented the Aggies. Cocheran clocked in at 11.81, while Young finished with a time of 12.30. On the women's side, Key'Auri Hildreth posted a solid time of 14.03 in the 100m as she pushed through the field of strong competitors.

Men's 200m and 400m
The men's 200m saw strong showings from Joshua Villescas, who finished in 23.05 and Levi Young who recorded a 24.56 time. Derek Doan completed the event with a time of 25.47. Villescas also put in a stellar effort in the 400m, with a posted season-best time of 51.06. Lamon Miles followed with a time of 57.14, rounding out the Aggie's performance in the 400m.

Men's 800m: Close Races and Personal Bests
The men's 800m race saw some exciting results with Arnaud Pujols leading the charge at 1:54.29 that secured him a fifth-place finish. Other notable performances included Allen Vasquez with a season-best 2:00.79, Victor Ramos-Sambade at 2:02.01, and Hugo Kluczkowski finishing with a time of 2:05.31.

Strong Showings in Distance Events
In the men's 1500m, Noe Chretien led the Aggies with a time of 4:08.51, followed by Victor Ramos-Sambade at 4:10.09 and Hugo Kluczkowski at 4:22.11. In the women's 1500m, Akaya Lightbourne led the Aggies with a strong performance of 4:52.79, followed by Gracie Ortiz at 4:58.75. Noa Garcia-Mejias and Evalynn Pedrosa also competed, clocking in at 5:26.10 and 5:48.42.

Steeplechase Results
In the men's 3000m Steeplechase, Philipp David finished with a 9:51.31 time, leading the Aggies and finish in 4th place. Brock Barr followed with a time of 12:23.34.
On the women's side, Pia Schweitzer delivered a strong performance in her first-ever 3000m Steeplechase, as she finished with a time of 12:14.90 for 5th place, followed by Tamica Jooste at 12:33.63 in 6th place. Mireia Planesas rounded out the women's competition with a time of 14:41.79.

Field Events: Solid Performances in the Long Jump
Key'Auri Hildreth also competed in the women's Long Jump, where she leapt to a distance of 4.72 meters, showcasing her versatility and athleticism in the field events.

Head Coach for the Aggies track team, Zach Johnson commented, "The meet started out with cold, windy and at times rainy weather so the early distance events and all sprint events were affected a lot. Fortunately, the weather improved as the day went on so we were able to have some good performances in in the 800's steeples and 5000."

Coach Johnson continued, "One highlight was Kaat breaking the school record in the 800 (2:16.84). Other good performances included Arnau winning his heat in the 800, Gracie running a PR in the 1500 (4:58.75) despite the wind, KG finishing second in the 5000 and becoming the second fastest 5km runner in Cameron history (14:28.35) behind James Majenge and ahead of Thomas Toth, both All-Americans. Pia Schweitzer also ran well in her first ever steeple race. We have almost a month left to improve and knock out a few final conference qualifiers during our final two regular season events."

The Aggies had an outstanding day at the John Jacobs Invitational, with multiple athletes setting new personal records and contributing to the team's success. Kaat de Staercke's school record-breaking performance in the women's 800m and Kgaogelo Moloisi's remarkable second-place finish in the men's 5000m were two of the day's brightest highlights. From their continued dedication and hard work, the Aggies are poised for even greater achievements in the future.
The Aggies next appearance will be on April 11^th at the KT Woodman Invitational in Wichita, KS.