Jackets open indoor season at Findlay's Oiler Opener

FINDLAY, Ohio - The Defiance College men's and women's indoor track and field team had a soft opening of the 2024-25 season with a handful of runner hitting the track at Findlay's Oiler Opener on Friday.

The men's trio of J'Vontae Barnes, Tyjon Mance and Anthony Lawson-Beachum competed in the 200 and 400-meter races. Women's runners Mira Horvath, Rakel Thompson and Israa Khamis also represented DC with select races in the 60, 200 and 400 meters.

Barnes picked up three points for Defiance with top-8 finishes in the 200 and 400 meters. His 23.08 in the 200 was good for eighth place and he earned seventh place with a 52.94 in the 400 meters. In the 400, Mance's 53.34 and Lawson-Beachum's 53.84 were also good for top-10 places.

Horvath captured the lone points for Defiance on the women's side when she raced the 400 meters in 1:01.22. Horvath also ran the 200 meters in 27.41 for 14th place. Khamis took a 14th-place finish in the 400 and was 27th in the 200. Thompson ran the 60 in the preliminary rounds in 8.3 but did not reach the finals, but ran the 200 in 28.26 for an 18th place finish.

Defiance grad student Lisa-Maria Markau ran unattached and picked up fourth-place finishes in the 60 and 200 meters.

DC's next meet will be at home for the Dick Small Invitational on Jan. 17.

-JACKETS-