WTC, SPC track stars earn National honors

A pair of Region V track and field athletes have been named National Athletes of the Week by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association this week.

Western Texas College freshman Antwon Smith and South Plains College sophomore Chrisann Gordon picked up the awards.

Smith took down some serious names at Texas Tech's Wes Kittley Invitational on Saturday, winning the 200 in 20.47 seconds. Though the time was seriously aided by a 4.3 meters per second tailwind, beating Ronnie Baker of TCU and pro Charlies Silmon would be impressive in any conditions. Baker won the 60 meters at last month's NCAA DI indoor championships, and Silmon won the 100 at DI outdoor nationals in 2013.

Gordon won the 800 and 600 at indoor nationals last month. In her first race in the month since then, she crushed the field by nine seconds at Texas Tech in 2:06.36. That's the fastest junior college time of 2015, and in the top 25 for collegians of every level.