AUSTIN, Texas – A swirling wind blasted runners head on Thursday on the first day of the 93^rd Annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, but the natural resistance didn't change the tactically strong races, said NSU track and field coach Mike Heimerman.

Natashia Jackson was the only NSU member to qualify for the finals on the first day as Texas restricted the finals to just the top nine because of COVID-19.

Jackson, who was running her first 400 meter race in more than a year, placed ninth with a 54.72.

The 400 finals will be Saturday at 3:15 p.m. Portions of all three days of the Texas Relays are broadcast on The Longhorn Network.

"Speedy ran a good race, tactically strong, although (NSU sprints coach Adam Pennington) said there were a couple of areas she didn't attack where she needed to," Heimerman said. "But she advances to the finals and gets another chance.

"She ran a very good 200 meters, but she ran into a 2.0 headwind. Lots of kids ran into a headwind today, and it smacks your confidence around because your times don't reflect the race you ran. We had a great day besides the wind."

Jackson placed 24^th in the 200 with a 24.20 with Jayla Fields placing 44^th (24.85) and Robyn Byrd 59^th (25.32).

Janiel Moore became the fifth-fastest 400 meters hurdler in NSU history when she clocked a 1:00.89 in the prelims, placing 18^th. Moore won a junior college national title in the event with times less than half a second faster.

"Janiel almost beat her personal record in which she won the junior college national championships back in 2019," Heimerman said. "This was her first chance to run her premier event here at NSU, and we know she'll only get better. She's been doing a lot of events here at NSU, and it's been fun to watch her grow."

Jasmine Dansby (1:08.47) and Aliyah Carswell (1:08.75) finished 47^th and 48^th, respectively.

Nearly all of NSU's 400 meter runners set personal records despite the wind.

Diana Granados bested her mark with a 56.18, finishing 21^st in a field of more than 50 sprinters.

On the men's side, Destine Scott and Ebenezer Aggrey both finished in the top third of the 400 meters field. Scott (47.12) placed 12^th and Aggrey (47.50) finished 15^th as both set NSU personal marks. Kennedy Harrison (47.87, 24th) and Dejon Blake (48.91, 38th) also bested their personal marks.

Scott also just missed on the finals in the 200, placing 13^th with a 21.09 with Kennedy Harrison (31^st, 21.51), Tre'Darius Carr (44^th, 21.74) and Evan Nafe (67^th, 22.59) also competing.

The men's and women's javelin also debuted on the opening day.

Akira Phillip logged a 127-8 mark to place 11^th.

Cole Spooner tossed the javelin 186-9 to finish 13^th.

Friday features a much fuller slate of action highlighted by relays, most jumps, pole vault and 100 meters.

Fourteen individuals and three relays are scheduled to compete beginning with women's high jump and pole vault at 9:30 a.m.