NIACC's Backhaus, Swenson compete at nationals

HOBBS, N.M. - NIACC's Tara Backhaus clocked a 16.77 in the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries on Friday at the NJCAA Division I championships at the Ross Black Field of Champions on the New Mexico Junior College campus.

Backhaus, a freshman who prepped at Mason City High, placed 15th in the preliminaries and just missed recording a personal best. Backhaus' personal best this season was a 16.75 at the Grand View Viking Relays in April.

The Trojans' sophomore Jordan Swenson cleared the opening height of 5 feet, 2 inches before bowing out at 5-4.

Swenson's personal best outdoor high jump was 5-2 1/2 at the 2023 regional meet. It was the second national meet that Swenson, who prepped at West Fork, competed in as she placed 13th at the national indoor meet with a jump of 5-1 1/4.