Philadelphia, PA - The New Jersey City University men's and women's track & field teams participated at the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships at the UPENN Ott Arena on Saturday and Sunday, February 22-23.  The men finished in 9th with 12 points while the women took 6th with 36. 

Tonna Ogina (North Brunswick, N.J./Highland Park) secured a first-place finish in the Long Jump with a mark of 5.25m. Ogina also placed 5th in the Triple Jump with a distance of 10.33m, adding to her strong showing in the field events. Ogina's trips to the podium weren't over as she also picked up gold in the high jump with a height of 1.63m which was a personal record as well as the 33rd best mark for Division III. 

On the track, Reyanna Henderson (Pemberton, N.J./Pemberton Two) placed 7th in the 400m, crossing the finish line in 1:00.23, while Jezena Aponte (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder) earned 7th place in the 800m with a time of 2:25.64 and finished 9th in the Mile with a time of 5:22.03. In the sprints, Alonah Olden (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George) competed in the 60m prelims, finishing 17th with a time of 9.11 seconds. Henderson earned silver in the 200m with a time of 25.77 

The team also had multiple competitors in the throws. Shyanne Anson (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Poughkeepsie) led the way in the Weight Throw, placing 13th with a throw of 11.47m, followed by Evelyn Tahmazian in 14th (10.31m) and Lucy Pelaez (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder) in 18th (8.97m). In the Shot Put, Anson placed 18th with a best mark of 8.96m, while Pelaez finished 20th with a throw of 4.41m.

Pratt Charles' (Jersey City, N.J./University Charter) 4th-place finish in the 400m, with an impressive time of 49.52, recorded the highest finish for the Gothic Knights. Teammate Isaiah Ramirez (Edison, N.J./John P. Stevens) followed closely behind, placing 9th in 50.58, while Gerard Victor (Irvington, N.J./Payne Tech) secured 21st with a time of 52.37.

In the sprint events, Christian Palmer competed in both the 60m and 200m, finishing 19th in both with times of 7.39 and 23.46, respectively. Kenny Balisage (Roselle, N.J./Roselle Park) also raced in the 60m prelims, placing 26th in 7.97, while Anthony El Helou (Beirut, Lebanon/Kfarchima) took 26th in the 200m with a time of 24.78.

The mid-distance events saw Goncalo Carvalho (Newark, N.J./East Side High School) take 15th in the 800m with a time of 2:08.72, followed by Jeremiah Saunders (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfied) in 17th at 2:10.08.
In the field events, Pratt Charles (Jersey City, N.J./University Charter) continued his strong performance with a 9th-place finish in the Long Jump, reaching a distance of 6.23m, while Kenny Balisage (Roselle, N.J./Roselle Park) placed 17th with a mark of 5.18m. In the throws, Sirell Clark (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) competed in the Weight Throw, finishing 14th with a best mark of 13.03m.

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