Several El Camino College track and field athletes advanced to the California Community College Athletic Association’s Southern California Regional Finals after competing at San Diego Mesa College in preliminaries on Friday, May 5.  

Lincoln Marschall, one of the top hurdlers in California, took first place in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in at 52.67 seconds, advancing to the SoCal Regional final. 

In the men’s 400-meter relay team consisting of Anthony Taylor, Jaylen Allen, Xerxes Reamer and Marschall finished first in the third heat, recording a time of 41.26 seconds. 

Their time landed them third overall for the event, in which the winner from each heat, plus the next six best times advanced.

The mile relay quartet of Marschall, Reamer, Taylor and Yuto Tamada clocked in at 3 minutes and 15 seconds, finishing second overall in the event. 

On the women’s team, Ami Jacobson qualified for the state championships, which will take place on May 19 and 20 at Modesto College in the 10,000-meter run after recording a personal best of 38 minutes and 58 seconds, putting her in the El Camino all-time record books in fifth place. 

Freshman Alyssa Matsuzaki crossed the finish line at a minute and 4 seconds, claiming a second-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, extending her season into the regional final. 

Middle-distance runner Rania Gomaa finished third overall in the 800-meter run, finishing at 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and will also advance to the finals. 

Other SoCal Regional finals qualifiers for the men included Taylor and Izak Giacchetto in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, James Neely in the 800-meter run, Tamada in the 400-meter dash, Michael Ihemeje in the triple jump and Nathan Albers in the shot put. 

Nathaniel Smith and Chinedu Adolf did not compete at prelims, but will be throwing in the finals in the javelin and discus, respectively. 

Also joining Gomaa and Matsuzaki for finals are Sequoia Gonzales in the 5,000-meter run, Makayla Nored in the hammer throw and shot put, Lotanna Muonagor in the high jump, Alexis Pitts in the 100-meter dash, Haidee Lopez in the 10,000-meter run, and the women’s mile relay team of Matsuzaki, Gomaa, Kaile Reavis, and Jailah Robinson.

El Camino qualifiers will return to San Diego Mesa College on May 12, starting at 10 a.m. to compete in regional finals.

Sports editor Clay Fordham of The Mesa Press contributed to this report.