By Jacob Norling
March 4, 2023
 
(BROOKINGS, S.D.) Westmont Men's and Women's Track and Field concluded their indoor season on Saturday, when they competed in the final day of the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships. It was none other than Zola Sokhela headlining the day's story, as the active all-time great reached double-digits in NAIA All-American honors.
 
Sokhela began the day by competing alongside fellow South African Jason Bowers in the finals of the men's mile. On Friday Sokhela described Bowers as a 'good friend from back home', and even mentioned how his friend helped him pace himself in the second heat of Friday's prelims.
 
On Saturday the two were pitted against each other in the finals of the mile and from the moment the men took off, it was clear that one of the two would finish atop of the podium. Sokhela led the race during the first 800 meters, but during the third lap, Bowers overtook Sokhela by a handful of strides. When the two entered the final 400 of the race it appeared as though Sokhela may have a chance to leapfrog Bowers on the final push.
 
Instead, Bowers displayed a near-historic finish to his mile, coming within a half second of setting the Indoor Nationals meet record. Sokhela ran a 4:08.90 during prelims, and trimmed off a split-second to finish the finals with a time of 4:08.53. However, with a jaw-dropping time of 4:03.72, Bowers got the better of his friend to earn the championship in the men's mile.
 
Ahead of receiving their first and second-place medals, the two jogged alongside each other while sharing several laughs during their cool down. Then, after receiving their medals, Bowers made room for Sokhela atop the podium as the two South African All-Americans posed for photos.
 
"We come from different states," explained Sokhela. "So, we'd always meet at high-level or national-level competitions. He's more of a 3K or long distance runner, so we'd never really competed against each other up until recent years.
 
"We were on the same national team for junior championships, so we'd travel together a lot as well. Our relationship is really good. We talk about anything outside of track, really. It's not just a running context thing. It's more how are you doing, how's your day, how's your family?"
 
"It was really cool to finish top-two here, together," added Bowers. "We told each other we wanted to go for a sub-four mile, because that's the dream. We fell short of it, but we tried our best, and to be able to snatch one and two together was really great. I'm proud of both of us."
 
For Sokhela, the second-place finish was still an historic achievement, as it earned the junior his 10th NAIA All-American honor.
 
"It was a lot of fun," continued Sokhela. "Yesterday was probably the most fun I've had at a national-level competition. Jason and I were talking about just both needing to make finals, so we helped each other, exchanged leads, and were talking to each other throughout.
 
"Today I asked him what we were doing, and he said he wanted to take it out really hard and make it hurt. I love that mindset, and that's the relationship that we have. It's fun to compete against each other, and you know, the best man wins.
 
"Do I want the win? Of course I do, but at the same time I'm really happy for him. To see a fellow countryman do well is very exciting."
 
Lily Sween began competition in the women's high jump on Saturday with redemption on her mind, after being unable to clear the first bar during the event last season. Sween came dangerously close to repeating her misfortunates this time around, after being unable to clear 1.59m (5-2.5) on her first two attempts.
 
On their third jump, Sween leapt, maneuvered around the bar, and hit the mat with an emphatic fist bump, moving her on to the next height.
 
Unfortunately for Sween, she was unable to repeat the same feat at the second height, bowing out of the event after three misses at 1.64m (5-4.5). The multi-event senior hopes to compete in the heptathlon at Outdoor Nationals.
 
"I was disappointed," acknowledged Sween. "Five-four and half is a low bar for me, and I know I can clear it. I was happy with the one bar, I didn't want to 'no-height' like I did last year, so that was an accomplishment in itself.
 
"After that accomplishment, my next goal was to PR, and I'm bummed I didn't get to do that, but it was still fun. It's my senior year, I had a good time with it, and I'm just trying to enjoy the moment overall."
 
In fitting fashion, Westmont's indoor season came to an end during Sokhela's final race, the finals of the 1000 meter run. Yesterday, Sokhela reflected back on his most recent National Championship, the 800 at outdoors last season. Thinking back to that race, Sokhela said his goal is always, "to make the last move."
 
On Saturday, he did just that.
 
After the first 400 meters of the race Sokhela allowed the majority of the pack to remain ahead of him. Four-hundred meters later, Sokhela waited behind St. Mary's Liam Neidig, who was leading the race for the majority of the event.
 
During the final 200, however, Sokhela's signature kick propelled him past Neidig, and everyone else for that matter. With a program-record time of 2:25.42, Sokhela won his fourth NAIA National Championship, and earned his 11th NAIA All-American honor.
 
"I thought back to last year at outdoors, and I think it was Luke Skinner who made an insane move during the last 200," said the champion. "Today, I had literal flashbacks around the last 200, and when I was behind Liam, I told myself, 'I'm making that last move.'
 
"I was able to really savor the moment as well. During the last 100 meters I was able to be really present and think, 'wow, I actually did it'."
 
When asked to reflect on his now double-digit All-American total, Sokhela laughed and said, "Honestly, when it comes to All-American I've lost count. It is surreal, though. I've really come to appreciate the wins. A lot of people might think you're used to it, but it's a lot of hard work each and every time.
 
"Each win, each All-American has a different journey behind it, which is something I've really come to appreciate."
 
"We talked beforehand about it, and he raced exactly the way he had planned," applauded Westmont head coach Russell Smelley. "He made the right moves at the right time, and actually helped his teammate as well."
 
Smelley was referencing teammate Jack Vanden Heuvel, who also competed in the finals of the 1000. After a thrilling 2:28.09 to finish sixth in prelims, the sophomore kicked it into another gear for the finals, ultimately turning in his career-best mark in the event.
 
Vanden Heuvel spent most of the race, like Sokhela, allowing the rest of the pack to set the pace. During the final 100 meters, however, Vanden Heuvel unleashed everything he had left to give. With a time of 2:26.10, Vanden Heuvel achieved NAIA All-American status with a third-place finish, the highest individual finish of his career.
 
"Today, I felt a little more in control," reflected the three-time NAIA All-American. "I gave it everything I had. It was awesome to be in position with a hundred to go, and it's super exciting to be able to go one-three with Zola.
 
"To be able to be there with your teammate in the final, it's an awesome feeling."
 
"I'm honestly more impressed with Jack than anything I did today," smiled Sokhela. "He's come a long way, and it's really nice to have a top-three training partner in the country for the 1K. It's not only for a win for me, or for him, but for our training group and our entire team."
 
"For a sophomore who's learning as he goes, it was quite a performance," added Smelley.
 
At the end of the night, Westmont's men finished the meet in 13th place with 25 points.
 
"The group has done well, and done the things they needed to do for this weekend," concluded Smelley. "Going into outdoors we have to keep progressing, keep trusting the process, and hopefully we can do something like this at the end of the year."
 
The Warriors will begin their outdoor season with the UCSB Invitational on Friday, March 10, in Santa Barbara. Down the road the Warriors will host their final GSAC Championships on April 27 and 28, and on May 24, Westmont will begin competition in the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Nationals Championships in Marian, Indiana.
 
Coverage of the entire outdoor season will be available on the Westmont Athletics website.