ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The University of West Alabama distance runners delivered outstanding performances at the Washington University Distance Carnival and Billiken Invitational, highlighted by Augusta Arnold's first-place finish in the 800-meter dash and Mercy Lomuria's record-breaking performance in the 5000-meter run.  

Arnold secured first place in the 800-meter dash at the Billiken Invitational with a time of 2:15.36. This performance marked a personal best, surpassing her previous record of 2:17.34 set at the Mississippi College Spring Cleaning Meet, and now ranks as the second-fastest 800-meter time in UWA history.  

At the Washington University Distance Carnival, Lomuria set a new UWA school record in the women's 5000-meter run, finishing with a time of 17:36.65. She surpassed the previous record set by Sara McMillon in 2017 and also improved upon her personal best of 17:39.34, which she set at the Mississippi College Spring Cleaning Meet. Lomuria now holds two school records in the 5000-meter and 3000-meter events while also ranking second in program history in the 1500-meter run.  

In the men's 5000-meter run, Gary Mata delivered a strong performance, crossing the finish line in 15:53.55 and maintaining his consistency in long-distance competition. 

The Tigers will look to build on these performances as they head to Carrollton, Ga., for the Meet of Legends, hosted by the University of West Georgia, on April 4-5.