BLUE DRAGONS SET TO OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS THURSDAY IN NEW MEXICO

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

With a pair of Region 6 team championships tucked away, the Hutchinson Community College men's and women's track and field teams took to finish off the season in grand fashion this weekend at the 2026 NJCAA Division I Championships at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, New Mexico.

Day 1 of the three-day event starts early Thursday morning with the 10,000-meter finals for both men's and women, the beginning of the Decathlon and Heptathlon, as well as finals in eight field events and six running events and preliminary rounds in four events.

BLUE DRAGON TRACK AND FIELD
NJCAA Division I Track and Field Championships – Day 1
When: Thursday, May 14, 2026
At: Ross Black Track and Field Complex, Hobbs, NM
Timing: Midwest Timing
Video (PPV): NJCAA Network
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The Blue Dragons have athletes in three events where they are ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA this season through the regional rounds.

Women's freshman thrower Xylavene Beale is No. 1 in the nation in the shot put (52-5 1/4) and No. 1 in the discus (178-8). Beale won the NJCAA Indoor national championship in the shot put. She is also ranked seventh in the nation in the hammer throw at 165-0.

Men's sprinter Kebba Makalo is No. 1 in the NJCAA at 100 meters with a time of 10.03 seconds this season. Makalo is also ranked No. 2 in the 200 meters (20.49 seconds).

Overall, the Blue Dragon men have athletes in six events ranked in the Top 8 of the nation.

Men's sophomore thrower Joshua Sweetnam is No. 2 in the shot put at 60-3 3/4.

Jahmari Clifton is ranked fifth in the high jump with a top clearance this season of 6-10 1/4.Yassine Sassi is fifth in the long jump at 24-7 1/4. The Blue Dragon 4x100-meter relay team of Keith Rogers, Giavonni Jones, Da'Shawn Lester and Makalo are fifth with a time of 40.05 seconds.

The Blue Dragon women are ranked in the Top 8 in eight events.

Freshman distance runner Mildred, the 2025 NJCAA Cross Country individual national champion, ranks fourth in the 10,000 meters with a time of 36:25.47. She is fifth in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:28.

Sophomore thrower Deisheline Mayer Scott is fifth in the shot put at 46-3 1/2.

Freshman thrower Taya Orth is ranked eighth in javelin at 130-3.

Overall, the Blue Dragon women have 20 qualifiers and the men have 17.

BLUE DRAGON MEN'S QUALIFIERS (qualifying mark in parenthesis)
100 Meters – Kebba Makalo (10.03)
200 Meters – Kebba Makalo (20.49)
1,500 Meters – Esteban Oses Campos (3:51.21)
5,000 Meters - Esteban Oses Campos (14:51.40)
10,000 Meters – Dennis Cheruiyot (31:19.64); Esteban Ortega (31.37.74)
110-Meter Hurdles – Ricards Peders (14.36)
400-Meter Hurdles – Keith Rogers (54.00)
4x100 Relay – Keith Rogers, Giavonni Jones, Da'Shawn Lester, Kebba Makalo (40.05)
High Jump – Jahmari Clifton (6-10 1/4); Joshua Muhozi (6-8 1/4)
Pole Vault – Gregery Martinez (14-5 1/2)
Long Jump – Yassine Sassi (24-7 1/4); Miguel Gaisch Essuman (23-10 3/4)
Shot Put – Joshua Sweetnam (60-3 3/4)
Discus – Joshua Sweetnam (159-8)
Javelin – Colby Moler (161-8).

BLUE DRAGON WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS (qualifying mark in parenthesis)
200 Meters – Anecia Campbell (24.31)
400 Meters – Anecia Campbell (54.87)
800 Meters – Sabrina McDonald (2:14.14)
1,500 Meters – Mildred Rono (4:28.86); Ashara Frater (4:38.78)
5,000 Meters – Mildred Rono (16:41.60); Ashara Frater (18:07.41); Kimberlin Lovell (18:52.68)
10,000 Meters – Mildred Rono (36:25.47)
4x100 Relay – Britney-Ann Powell, Valentine Titren, Anecia Campbell, Sidney Holt (46.25)
4x800 Relay – Ashara Frater, Mildred Rono, Kimberlin Lovell, Sabrina McDonald (9:25.20)
Pole Vault – Grace Bender (18-8 3/4)
Shot Put – Xylavene Beale (52-5 1/4); Deisheline Mayer Scott (46-3 1/2)
Discus – Xylavene Beale (178-8); Deisheline Mayer Scott (142-5)
Hammer – Xylavene Beale (165-0); Deisheline Mayer Scott (163-8)
Javelin – Taya Orth (130-3); Deisheline Mayer Scott (130-1); Kara Rex (127-10).