SAN MARCOS, Texas – Chris Preddie posted the second-best men's long jump in the country this year while the reigning Sun Belt Athletes of the Week, Elisabet Runarsdottir and Grady Leonard, had school top-10 marks in the hammer throw for the second week in a row as the Bobcats competed in day one of the Charles Austin Classic at the Texas State Track and Field Complex on Friday.
 
Preddie, a true freshman out of Little River Academy, Texas, leapt 7.87 meters in the long jump to not only win the event but also put up the fifth-best distance in the men's long jump in school history. It was the best long jump by a Bobcat in 22 years and currently ranks as the second-longest in the country this year – and only short of the top spot by a centimeter.
 
Preddie was not the only Texas State long jumper to put up one of the best marks in school history. On the women's side, Anayah Washington and Amaya Brown had the third- and fifth-best distances in the event in program history. Washington's personal-best of 6.38 meters was achieved in her first attempt and won the event while Brown jumped 6.34 meters for her personal-best and second place in the event.
 
In the throws, Runarsdottir reset the school freshman record in the women's hammer throw with a toss of 63.00 meters. The freshman out of Iceland had set the previous freshman record for a Bobcat last week at the UTSA Invitational.
 
Leonard threw 64.68 meters in the men's hammer throw, which was third-best in school history and only seven-and-a-half inches short of the second-best mark set by Brandon Busby in 2021.
 
The Bobcats finished with six first-place finishes on day one of the meet, including the performances of Preddie, Washington, Runarsdottir and Leonard. Abigail Parra (women's 1500 meter, 5:03.05) and Megan Ombres (women's 3000 meter steeplechase, 11:17.94) also earned top spots on podiums in the distance running events in the evening.
 
Texas State also had eight personal-bests, including Utitofon Sam in the women's hammer throw (55.24 meters) and Tyler Noles in the men's hammer (52.16 meters).
 
Texas State will close out the Charles Austin Classic on Saturday starting at 10 am with field events and 2 pm with running events.
 
 
Charles Austin Classic
Day 1 – March 24, 2023
 
Women's Hammer Throw
1. Elisabet Runarsdottir – 63.00m; 10th-best in school history & PR
3. Deborah Bulai – 57.27m
4. Utitofon Sam – 55.24m; PR
6. Lauryn Small – 53.05m
11. Melanie Duron – 44.90m; PR
16. Sophia Haberer – 40.43m
 
Men's Hammer Throw
1. Grady Leonard – 64.68m
6. Tyler Noles – 52.16m; PR
 
Women's Long Jump
1. Anayah Washington – 6.38m (2.9); 3rd-best in school history & PR
2. Amaya Brown – 6.34m (2.5); 5th-best in school history & PR
10. Alexa Valenzuela – 5.62m (2.8)
 
Men's Long Jump
1. Chris Preddie – 7.87m; 5th-best in school history & PR
8. Drue Jackson – 7.14m
 
Women's Pole Vault
4. Breanna Brandes – 3.52m
 
Men's Pole Vault
3. Simon Thor – 5.10m; matched his PR
7. Tye Eaton – 4.60m
9. Cody Bullard – 4.60m
 
Women's 1500 Meter
1. Abigail Parra – 5:03.05
 
Men's 1500 Meter
2. Koket Jimata – 4:04.58
 
Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase
1. Megan Ombres – 11:17.94; PR
 
Men's 5000 Meter
8. Justin Wagner – 16:00.01
9. Ismael Hernandez – 16:04.34