MAKALO POWERS BLUE DRAGON MEN TO TOP 10 NJCAA FINISH

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

HOBBS, New Mexico – Sophomore sprinter Kebba Makalo completed a tremendous Hutchinson Community College career on Saturday with second- and third-place performances on Championship Day of the 2026 NJCAA Division I Track and Field Championships on Saturday at the Ross Black Track and Field Complex.

Makalo's 14 points scored were a team high to lead the Blue Dragons to a ninth-place finish with 34.50 points. This was Hutchinson's third-straight Top 10 team finish at nationals.

The sophomore sprinter from Willingara, Gambia broke one Blue Dragon record and tied another in his tremendous Saturday afternoon.

Makalo was the national runner-up in the 200-meter finals. Makalo just missed his first career national championship when he was beaten by Hinds' Jayval Wright by .005 seconds. Makalo's official time was 19.908 and Wright had a 19.903.

That time broke the Hutchinson 200-meter men's outdoor record that was set by Blue Dragon Quarterback Club Hall of Fame member Teddy Poole, who ran 20.48 at the 2008 NJCAA Championships.

Before the 200 finals, Makalo finished third in the 100-meter finals with a school-record time of 9.98 seconds. The winning time by New Mexico's David Nyamufarira was 9.88 seconds. Makalo broke his own school record of 10.03 seconds set earlier this season.

Makalo earned his third and fourth NJCAA Outdoor All-America honors with a first-team in the 200 and a second-team performance in the 100 meters. He completes his Blue Dragon career with five overall All-America honors and three school records – the 100 and 200 meters and on the 4x100-meter relay.

During Opening Ceremonies on Saturday, Makalo was named the USTFCCCA Outdoor Central District Track Athlete of the Year. Blue Dragon head coach Robert Spies was named the Central District Coach of the Year for the second-straight year.

The Blue Dragons scored points in two other events on Saturday.

Freshman Esteban Oses Campos placed sixth in the 1,500-meter finals, posting a time of 4:04.04.

Freshman hurdler Ricard Peders, who qualified for the 110-meter hurdle finals ninth, placed seventh with a time of 14.29 seconds. He was just .01 seconds off his career best set in Friday's preliminary round.

Oses Campos also ran in the 5,000 meters and placed 11th with a time of 15:24.00.

Joshua Sweetnam, who won the national shot put championship on Friday, finished 14th in the discus on Saturday with a top throw of 151-6.