Alabama Track & Field Set for Charlie Thomas Invitational

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama track and field is primed for a strong showing at the Charlie Thomas Invitational in Bryan-College Station, Texas, Feb. 4-5. It will be the Crimson Tide's next-to-last meet before the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championship meet in late February.

After opening the season with three-consecutive meets at the Birmingham Crossplex, site of this year's NCAA Indoor Championships, the Crimson Tide stretches its legs a bit this week, traveling to Texas A&M's campus, site of this year's SEC Indoor Championships.

Alabama will face competition from a total of 21 teams from seven states. Power-5 foes include Vanderbilt and host Texas A&M from the SEC as well as Baylor and Oklahoma from the Big 12. Of the 21 teams in attendance, 15 are from the Lone Star State.

The Tide gets things started on Friday at 5 p.m. CT with the men's and women's pole vault, while Saturday, which will be televised on the SEC Network+, sees Alabama starting things off at noon with the men's and women's long jump.

Midseason Marks

The Crimson Tide has broken three school records and seven meet records to this point in the season
The Tide more than doubled its podium total for the season at the Samford Invite, picking up 28 top-three finishes to tally 53 podiums on the year
School record breakers include Mercy Chelangat, who broke her own record in the women's 5000 meter with a 15:34.82, Chelsea Igberaese, who has bettered the school record in the weight throw twice this season, including a career-best 20.94 meters, and Bobby Colantonio Jr., who bested the school record in the men's weight throw
Colantonio Jr. posted a school-record 24.15 meters in the weight throw to open the season, ranking him seventh all-time collegiately and first in the nation at the time and earning him SEC Field Athlete of the Week honors

National Rankings

Bobby Colantonio Jr., is currently ranked second in the men's weight throw with a mark of 24.15 meters
Isaac Odugbesan is fourth in the men's shot put after posting a mark of 20.48 meters to open the season, just .02 off his own school record
Mercy Chelangat's school-record 15:34.82 ranks seventh in the women's 5,000 meters
Christian Edwards is just outside the national top-10 in the triple jump after posting a leap of 15.93 meters to open the season

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University of Alabama Athletics