Mustangs Close Out Distance Carnival and Open on Strong Performances

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Mount Mercy men's outdoor track and field team wrapped up day two of the Mustang Distance Carnival and Open on Saturday with strong performances across numerous events.

In the field, Omar Salinas led the Mustangs in the hammer throw with a ninth-place finish and a toss of 44.40 meters. Nate Jones followed in 10th with a throw of 44.23 meters.

On the track, Breon Wade placed seventh in the 200-meter open with a time of 22.16 seconds. The Mustangs' 4x100-meter relay team — Keegan Thompson, Ceondae Adams, Baylor Speidel and Wade — claimed the title in the elite division with a time of 40.87, hitting the NAIA 'B' standard for nationals in the event.

Thompson also earned a title in the 400-meter dash, clocking in at 48.21. In the 800-meter open, Brady Cortez finished seventh with a time of 2:00.32, while Noah Valenzuela placed eighth in the elite division with a time of 1:58.20.

Adams won the 200-meter elite race, finishing in 21.12 — meeting the NAIA 'B' standard and setting a new Mustang Open record. Speidel followed closely behind in second with a time of 21.73.

Mount Mercy returns to action on Saturday, April 19, when it hosts the Debacker Invitational.