CARY, N.C. – A pair of North Carolina Central University women's cross country runners broke the 20-minute mark in the 5k while the top three Eagles on the men's side were all within one minute of each other n the 6k to highlight competition at the 2023 adidas XC Challenge hosted by North Carolina State University at the WakeMed Soccer Park on Friday evening.
 
The NCCU men went first and finished 12th out of 17 teams. The women then placed 10th out of 13 programs.
 
Sophomore Emmanuel Paddyfote had the top overall finish for the Eagles, placing 52nd out of 154 finishers in the men's 6k with a time of 19:44. Paddyfote finished the race 37 seconds faster than he did as a freshman last year.
 
Freshman Ryan Chong (20:26) and sophomore Corey Little (20:34) were within one minute of Paddyfote. Chong was running his first collegiate 6k while Little improved his time by eight seconds over his rookie time at the same race. Graduate student Laderique McNeill (21:52) and freshman Donald Moore (22:07) rounded out NCCU's top five scoring positions.
 
Junior Zinash Valen had NCCU's top performance on the women's side, finishing the 5k in the upper half of the field with a time of 19:34 that was good for 62nd out of 135 finishers. Valen made her debut for the Eagles last week and was one minute and 16 seconds faster in her second 5k representing the maroon and gray.
 
Sophomore Laila Jackson broke the 20-minute barrier for the first time when she crossed the finish line in 19:57. NCCU's last three counting runners were within 30 seconds of each other in junior Victoria Swepson (20:25), sophomore Gianna Marquez (20:52) and sophomore Jadiza Jimenez (21:54).
 
Jackson and Marquez both posted faster times than their first appearance in the adidas XC Challenge last season.
 
NC Central is next scheduled to compete in the Winthrop/adidas Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 30.
 
NCCU WOMEN'S 5K RESULTS (135 Finishers)
62. Zinash Valen (19:34.3)
73. Laila Jackson (19:57.8)
82. Victoria Swepson (20:25.6)
91. Gianna Marquez (20:52.7)
101. Jadiza Jimenez (21:54.9)
105. Taylor Hanson (22:13.0)
 
NCCU MEN'S 6K RESULTS (154 Finishers)
52. Emmanuel Paddyfote (19:44.4)
84. Ryan Chong (20:26.6)
86. Corey Little (20:34.2)
118. Laderique McNeill (21:52.5)
124. Donald Moore (22:07.5)
151. Ocir Black (30:07.5)