Conference Championship weekend was a rousing success. If you were a track and field fan you literally spent the entire weekend watching Track and Field meets. Each championship meeting had its moments of “Oooh” and “Aaah”. A weekend much needed for the sport not only for visibility but to give those dedicated track and field fans well deserved entertainment. The collegiate athletes in Division 1 certainly lived up to their top billing as this weekend produced 21 new number one performances and highlighted deficiencies in many top teams. In this recap we will look at the new number one performances and highlight big performances from the weekend.
SPRINTS/HURDLES
Terrance Laird of LSU was certainly one of the many amazing highlights coming out of the SEC Championships on the men’s side. After he debuted his outdoor season at the Texas Relays with his still number one mark of 19.81 in the 200, all eyes have been on him against Matthew Boling of Georgia. He lived up to the hype with two dominant performances winning the 100 with a national leading wind-aided mark of 9.80 and a 200 time of 19.82. He is now the prohibitive favorite in both 100- and 200-meter dashes. I think it is fair to say he is perhaps the most complete short sprinter in men’s LSU history.
In the 110 hurdles senior Robert Dunning of Alabama has been
waiting in the winds to prove that he is a serious threat in the 110 hurdles.
Damion Thomas of LSU has held the top time in the country since later March at
the Texas Relays. Dunning took the top time with his winning time of 13.15
running a strong race against a solid field. His time was slight wind-aided but
does meet the allowable qualifying mark for the national performance list.
Texas A&M has quite the success in the men’s 400 hurdles
over the year. They have had many All-Americans and SEC Champions. Moitalel
Mpoke is the latest star but he also might be the best one. The talented junior
clocked in a winning time of 48.89 to beat previous number one Sean Burrell of
LSU. He not only broke the school record but became the national leader. Mpoke is
Texas A&M’s best chance at a national champion in this event.
On the women’s side Tamara Clark of Alabama had one of the all-time great performances this past weekend. She ran two dominant races in the 100 and 200 and her coach Olympic Medalist Carmelita Jeter was certainly proud. Clark clocked in winning times of 10.87 and 21.89. Both times were wind-aided, and her 100 time does meet the allowable amount and 200 did not. However, it does prove what Clark is capable of. Clark has spent her most recent history as second quite often, but it looks like this outdoor season she is focused on Gold!
In the 400 Athing Mu of Texas A&M again found a way to
wow the crowd. Every time she steps on the track, she is breaking a record or
joining an all-time list. She already has broken the NCAA record in the 800 and
decided to try and take the 400 at the SEC Championships. She came very close
winning the race by more than a second with a time of 49.84, Mu is now third
all time in the 400. Currently Mu is ranked number one in both 400 and 800. It
remains to be seen what she chooses to compete at nationals but either way I am
sure she will continue to impress. What an amazing season she is having.
In the 100 hurdles senior Tonea Marshall finally got her
outdoor SEC title. She ran a personal best and school record time of 12.52 to
win the SEC title. Marshall has been solid all season long and continues to be
a leader for a strong LSU team. She has been the most consistent 100 hurdler all
season long. I expect for her winning streak to continue throughout the season.
In the 400 hurdles defending national champion Anna Cockrell
crossed over into elite territory. The senior dipped under 55 seconds for not
only a personal record but a school record. She claimed the 400 hurdle Pac-12
title with a time of 54.77. Her mark improves upon her number one ranking and she
is currently the only athlete under 55 seconds.
DISTANCE
In the men’s 800 Isaiah Jewett has been having a remarkable
senior season. He improved upon his number one ranking winning the Pac-12 title
in a time of 1:45.16. What is more impressive about his win, he defeated
Charlie Hunter, Cole Hocker and Luis Peralta in the same race. Hunter was the
pre-meet favorite having won the NCAA Indoor title. Jewett seemed to not be
phased by that all and ran a smart race to win.
Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame continued our theme of breaking
NCAA records. The defending champion ran an impressive 3:34.68 in the 1,500. That
time was done in the ACC Championship Preliminaries. He came back in the finals
to win with a time of 3:40.86. Nuguse already has proven what he is about
beating Cooper Teare of Oregon at Oregon a few weeks ago. Nuguse with all
likelihood will break the NCAA record again this season.
BYU did not compete at a conference championship this
weekend but still made noise in a few distance events. In the men’s 10,000
Conner Mantz competed at the American Track League and clocked in at 27:41.16.
The race was against professional athletes and he held his own finishing fourth
overall. His time however is number one in the NCAA.
A new week and a new number one in the 3,000-meter
steeplechase. No distance event has had more changes to it’s leaderboard than
this one. This time it came from the new ACC Champion Fitsum Seysum of Virginia
Tech. No denying the quality at Virginia Tech their distance core is one the
best in the country. Seysum is certifiable proof of that. Seysum clocked in at
8:31.23 to win the ACC title. It is perhaps even more impressive to note that
his win and time came up against extremely high-quality competition as both
number two and number three in his race finished with times that are now
nationally ranked in the top 10.
On the women’s side Whittni Orton of BYU also competed at
the American Track League and the quality of the competition brought out the
best in her as well. She ran a time of 15:12.91 in the 5,000-meter run to
finish 10th overall but with the top time in the country. BYU now owns
the top two times in the event nationally.
Mercy Chelangat of Alabama completed a family sweep. She
claimed the 10,000-meter SEC title with a time of 32:13.13. Her brother Vincent
Kiprop also won the 10,000-meter title. Chelangat had quite the weekend by also
winning the 5,000-meter run as well.
FIELD EVENTS
Tyra Gittens is Superwoman, I am convinced. What an incredibly
talented athlete. She had quite the performance in the heptathlon. She scored a
total of 6,418 points. A new NCAA leading performance. It was her individual
performances during the competition that stand out, a high jump mark of 6 feet
4 ¾ inches (1.95m) and a long jump mark of 22 feet 10 inches (6.96m). Her high
jump mark is currently ranked number one in the country and her long jump mark
is currently ranked number two. Both
marks are high quality marks in their own right and she performed during the
same competition. Gittens has just been the class of the field and with this
being an Olympic year I think we should just get comfortable with her name.
Arkansas women return as the center of the Pole-Vaulting world.
Nastassja Campbell is the latest talented vaulter out of Arkansas to claim the SEC
title. Campbell defeated a top tier field with a mark of 14 feet 10 ¾ inches (4.54m).
Campbell helps to solidify Arkansas championship team depth. She is also apart
of the reason why they were able to win the SEC Team title.
Adelaide Aquilla is rounding into championship form quite
nicely. The NCAA Indoor Champion out of Ohio State reclaimed the number one
ranking with her winning throw of 62 feet 8 ¼ inches (19.12m) to claim the Big
Ten title.
Jorinde Van Klinken of Arizona State is the latest throwing
star from Arizona State. Washington Turner is not the only Sun Devil having a
strong year. Van Klinken won the Pac 12 title in the Discus with a mark of 205
feet 4 inches (62.58m). She is currently one of two athletes that thrown of 200
feet this season.
JuVaughn Harrison of LSU had quite the weekend. Harrison
claimed the SEC High Jump title with a number one mark of 7 feet 8 ¾ inches (2.36m).
We expected for him to follow that up with a win in the long jump. He was
defeated by Carey McLeod of Tennessee who leaped 27 feet 4 ¼ inches (8.34m).
His mark is number three nationally. Harrison still holds the top two marks in
both events but clearly it will not be easy to complete the same jumping feet
winning both titles.
Mississippi State has found another Javelin thrower. The
Bulldogs seem to produce to a champion every few years. DJ Jonsson by way of
Iceland continued their winning tradition with his SEC title throw of 258 feet
1 inch (78.66m). The Bulldogs now have the number one and number two marks in
the country in this event.
RELAYS
LSU Women’s 4x100 Relay improved upon their number one
ranking with their time of 42.52. Texas A&M Women’s 4x400 Relay also
improved upon their number one ranking with their SEC Winning time of 3:26.17.
THOUGHTS
There were so many great performances this weekend. Over 21
new number one performances, and all-time legendary marks. The team title
picture is becoming clearer and we will have a better understanding after
Regionals but applause to Arkansas of the SEC. They show up every championship
meet and perform at a high level and this year was no exception. USC women was
dominant out west in the Pac-12 and Oregon men won their 14th
straight. 14 straight titles remind us of the John McDonnell Arkansas dominance.
Also, on the men’s side you cannot ignore Florida State. They have put together
their best team in recent memory and have the pieces to contend or a team title.
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