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Collin Matiza -Sports Editor 

THERE was no stopping Zimbabwe’s star triple jumper Chengetayi “Du Airlines” Mapaya at the Texas A&M Team Invitational track and field meet at College Station in Texas, United States, at the weekend.

Mapaya (22), who is on an athletics scholarship at Texas Christian University, set a facility record while four other Frogs recorded programme top-10 marks at the Texas A&M Team Invitational.

According to reports from Texas, Mapaya, a senior at TCU, collected his second triple jump facility record at College Station on Saturday. The wind finally died down enough for Mapaya to record a wind-legal mark on his final attempt, and he took full advantage of it.

The Zimbabwean jumped 16.78m to break the EB Cushing Stadium Record. Mapaya’s mark ranks fourth in the world and third in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) entering the weekend.

His first facility record occurred at Texas Tech’s Sports Performance Centre during indoor season where he leaped 16.85m, breaking the school record, earlier this year.

Mapaya, who is in terrific form this season, is a former St. George’s College pupil in Harare.

In fact, it was a banner weekend for Texas Christian University as the college’s three other athletes – Mapaya’s fellow Zimbabwean Tinotenda “Booster” Matiyenga, Robert Gregory (Jnr) and Kyla Robinson-Hubbard – also recorded programme top-10 marks at the Texas A&M Team Invitational.

Standout freshman Gregory (Jnr) blazed a 20.14 seconds (w+4.6), winning the men’s 200m event and climbing to fourth all-time at TCU. His mark ranks third in the United States.

Matiyenga (21) also recorded a 20.68 when coming fourth in the men’s 200m event.

The Zimbabwean sprinter also competed in the men’s 100m final and came second in a good time of 10.44 seconds. The event was won by Bryan Henderson of Sam Houston in 10.38 seconds while third place went to Jace Comick of Texas A&M (10.50 seconds).

Gregory (Jnr) earned Big 12 Athlete of the Week honours after clocking a 20.67 in the Horned Frogs’ outdoor opener.

Fellow freshman Robinson-Hubbard got off to a great start in the 400m hurdles, propelling her to a second-place finish and personal-best 59.08 that ranks third on TCU’s record book.

Another freshman, Kyler Van Grouw, moved up to sixth all-time at TCU in the discus after throwing 53.53m en route to fourth place. Senior Ryan Camp placed third with a 53.78m.

Brinlee Pitts completes the quartet of freshman who recorded top-10 TCU marks. She cleared 3.83m for a new lifetime best in pole vault that sits at third in school history.

The men’s 4×400 relay team closed out the meet with a win, running a 3:06.30 that featured a 45.44 anchor leg by Derrick Mokaleng of South Africa.