Weekend Recap 6

1:43.25!

(Michael Saruni-UTEP)

This past weekend was considered to be Relay Weekend. There were multiple relay carnivals going on all over the country. You had the historic Penn Relays and Drake Relays. There was also a new meet for collegians, the National Relay Championships held at the University of Arkansas. Even with all the great relay meets there was still plenty of quality individual performances along with the theme of new collegiate records. We will also in this recap discuss the noticeable friction between some collegiate teams and the historic Penn Relays. Let us first take a look at the top five performances from the weekend.

MEN

5.) JORDAN GEIST (ARIZONA)- This talented freshman continues to appear among the top performers in the men’s shot put throughout the year. He spent a period during the indoor season as the number one ranked performer and he will now carry that same success to the outdoor season. This past weekend at Desert Heat Classic at the University of Arizona he launched a throw of 66 feet 11 ½ inches to not only win the competition but earn the number one ranking in the NCAA. There is still plenty of time left in the season but Geist has proven that he is not going anywhere and plans to be in thick of the hunt for the national title.

4.) TEJASWIN SHANKAR (KANSAS ST)- Tejaswin Shankar is the latest freshman star to show in the high jump. Last weekend it was Vernon Turner of Oklahoma who I watched win the Penn Relay title. This weekend was Shankar who leaped to a mark of 7 feet 6 inches to win the Texas Tech Corky/Crofoot Shootout. His mark not only garnered him the number one ranking in the NCAA but it was against Texas Tech star jumper Trey Culver on his home field. A mark this good certainly earns him notoriety and serves notice that there is now another threat to winning the title.

3.) KENNY SELMON (NORTH CAROLINA)- The past few years North Carolina has developed quite a stable at the 400-meter hurdles. Kenny Selmon has been a constant for the program since arriving as a freshman. He is having a great senior year so far and this past weekend further cemented his status as the number one prospect by winning the Virginia Grand Prix in a time of 48.98. No one else in the country has gone under 49 seconds further proving Selmon’s status.

2.) KEANDRE BATES (FLORIDA)- KeAndre Bates has had an up and down senior season. He entered the season as favorite to win the long jump and triple jump. However, after finishing without a national title in either event indoors expectations on him have dwindled. This past weekend at the National Relay Championships he garnered his first number one ranking of the outdoor season by winning the triple jump with a mark of 54 feet 9 ¼ inches. As we approach championship season this was a strong performance by Bates and could be the confidence booster he needed for a strong finish to his Florida career.

1.) MICHAEL SARUNI (UTEP)- Ever since that explosive 800-meter time early in the indoor season Saruni’s name has become synonymous with the 800. At the Desert Heat Classic Saruni smashed the 800-meter collegiate record with a time of 1:43.25 to win the event and cement his status as number one in the NCAA rankings. His time also places him number one in the world along with a clear distance between him and number two. He is in position to be the next great Kenyan runner and one of four ranked in the top five in the world. He will be 23 this June and in prime position to potentially lower that time again.

WOMEN

5.) JASMINE CAMACHO-QUINN (KENTUCKY)- Quinn’s talent and position at the University of Kentucky cannot be understated. She runs both relays, the high hurdles along with the open 200 and is currently ranked nationally in all four. She already has a NCAA title to her credit from her freshman season and now as a junior proved this weekend she is ready to take the title back. Although slightly wind-aided Quinn clocked in at 12.53 to win the National Relay Championships. She has yet to lose this outdoor season and whenever there is a challenge she has consistently risen to the challenge. She is ranked number one in the nation and I do not expect that to change.

4.) KARISSA SCHWEIZER (MISSOURI)- Schweizer has been the queen of distance running for quite a while. This season however she seems to have stamped her name permanently at number one. She is ranked number one in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs. This past weekend at the Drake Relays is when she garnered the number one ranking in the 5,000 with a time of 15:23.51. It remains to be seen if she will try the difficult double of the two longest races in distance running on a track but she has made a strong case to at least attempt.

3.) ASHLEY HENDERSON (SAN DIEGO ST)- Henderson has been no stranger to the collegiate ranks as she has been a formidable sprinter since her freshman season. Henderson nearly broke the 200-meter collegiate record this indoor season. Her time proved there was plenty of speed in those legs and she was ready to use it. At the Desert Heat Classic, she clocked in at 10.98 to win the race. Her time is the fastest wind-legal time in the country and in the world. This season is shaping up to be the fastest in NCAA history and has the potential to have a field were six athletes maybe under 11 seconds in the final. You can expect Henderson to be a part of that mix.

2.) MAGGIE EWEN (ARIZONA STATE)- Normally what Ewen did this weekend would garner the number ranking on my list, but there is a explanation as to why she is not number one later. Let us focus on the greatness that she has given us now. This multi-talented thrower broke another collegiate record this past weekend at the Desert Heat Classic. Her winning mark of 63 feet 10 ¼ inches broke the old record held by Raven Saunders in 2016. Ewen has been the star of the throws all year long and with this latest record she will continue that trend.

1.) SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN (KENTUCKY)- Similar that too Grant Holloway, McLaughlin seems to be mentioned on this blog practically every week. This week she finally debuted in her signature event which when she arrived at Kentucky there was consideration that she would not compete in the event at all this year. However, her coach Eldrick Floreal felt it was time for her to compete. She did not disappoint and debuted as fourth all time in the 400 hurdles with her mark of 53.60. Her time immediately placed her in the number one ranking and she has almost a two second lead on the country. We’ve known about her talent for years. Expect for that time to fall even more later on this season.

HOT RELAYS

LSU Women 4x100 Relay reclaimed the number one ranking with a time of 42.49. LSU is also ranked number one for the first time in quite a while under Dennis Shaver.

Arkansas men 4x100 relay clocked a time of 38.59 to garner the number one ranking in the NCAA. They did that while beating a pretty solid Florida team that had trouble with the baton exchanges. Arkansas rounding into shape rather nicely and will as expected be a threat at the NCAA Championship.

Thoughts: This weekend is the final weekend of the regular season. Some conference haves already had their championships and more will have them this weekend. As we head into championship season expect for the quality of the performances to go up as well.