GRAND FORKS, ND – The Oral Roberts University track & field teams delivered a strong, well-rounded showing at the Summit League Indoor Championships, highlighted by a meet-record performance, multiple podium finishes, and a surge of personal bests across both squads.
 
The Golden Eagles opened the meet with momentum on Day 1, led by an impressive effort in the men's long jump from Woedem Vasmark-Voegborlo. Competing against one of the deepest fields in the conference, Vasmark-Voegborlo soared to a personal-best mark of 7.43 meters to claim second place overall. His leap not only earned a silver-medal finish but also set the tone for a productive weekend in the horizontal jumps.
 
On the distance side, Sibonokuhle Thwala continued ORU's consistency in championship racing, finishing eighth in the men's 3,000 meters to secure All-Conference honors. The men's distance medley relay added to the Day 1 point total as well, battling through a tightly contested race to place fourth overall, narrowly missing the podium but showcasing depth and resilience in the relay ranks.
 
Day 2 proved to be the highlight of the meet for the Golden Eagles, beginning with a historic performance in the men's 5,000 meters. Abraham Chelangam delivered a championship-caliber race from the gun, pulling away from the field down the stretch to capture the conference title in meet-record fashion. His winning time of 13:49.53 not only earned gold but etched his name into Summit League history.
 
The men's high jump produced one of the most impressive collective efforts of the weekend. Jordan Wenger cleared his way to a second-place finish, while Vasmark-Voegborlo followed closely in third, giving ORU two spots on the podium. Kellen Rutledge and Jamin Andrews added valuable depth by tying for sixth place, with all four competitors earning All-Conference recognition in a standout event for the Golden Eagles.
On the women's side, Destiny Downing secured a third-place finish in the high jump, adding another podium result and key points to the team total. The middle- and long-distance events continued to shine as Artwell Magake placed seventh in the men's mile, earning All-Conference honors.
 
The Granderson siblings both delivered strong performances in the 400 meters. Olivia Granderson finished eighth in the women's race while setting a new indoor personal best of 56.12, while Solomon Granderson followed with a sixth-place finish in the men's 400 to earn All-Conference recognition. Deborah Mazzei added a fourth-place finish in the women's 800 meters, and Jaxson Brooks rounded out the scoring with a sixth-place finish in the men's 800.
 
Across the meet, ORU's development was evident, as the men recorded six new personal bests and the women tallied 13 PRs. The combination of elite performances at the top and continued improvement throughout the roster underscored a successful championship weekend and pointed toward a promising close to the indoor season for the Golden Eagles.
 
The Golden Eagles begin their outdoor season with the ORU Invitational on Saturday, March 28^th. 
 
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