84 Points!
Men’s
Review
Sprints
100 Meter Dash
The men’s 100 was quite the spectacle. A lot can happen in 10
seconds and this race was proof of that. True freshman Micah Williams of Oregon
got out of the blocks well and blasted to the front. Shawn Maswanganyi of
Houston took a brief, and I mean brief, lead. Then the closing speed of Terrance
Laird was on display and took over the last 20 meters to win in a time of
10.05. It was not the sub 10 second performance we were expecting but it is
still an impressive win considering the cool weather.
200 Meter Dash
By this time Laird had already claimed two titles and was
looking for a third. Coming off the curb he was out front and Maswanganyi had
already made up the stagger on Joseph Fahnbulleh of Florida. It seemed to be a two-man
race. Then the last 100 meters Fahnbulleh put on a impressive display of
running galloping like a horse to surpass both and nip Laird at the line to win
the title with a time of 19.91. His time was wind legal and he became the third
Gator to run under 20 seconds.
400 Meter Dash
This is perhaps the best event to highlight the impressive
meet that North Carolina A&T had. Trevor Stewart and Randolph Ross (the coaches
son) had impressive regional performances and left many curious as to what can
be. Ross wowed the crowd running a strong race, especially the last 130 meters
and finished with a time of 43.85. He becomes third all time at the NCAA meet.
Ross is now currently the world number one runner and is also the only athlete
to have run under 44 seconds this season.
Hurdles
110 Meter Hurdles
After an impressive semi-final race Arkansas freshman Philip
Lemonius began to start talks of a possible upset. Robert Dunning of Alabama
must have heard that conversation and left nothing to the imagination in the
final. The senior ran a strong race against an impressive field to claim the
NCAA title with a time of 13.25. Lemonius will have more chances to win a NCAA
title but he did have quite the debut. For Dunning preparation for the Olympic
Trials began immediately.
400 Meter Hurdles
Never have I seen a freshman have such an incredible season
and in a new event no less. Sean Burrell of LSU was recruited to be their next
great 400 runner. In the middle of the outdoor season the LSU coaching staff
thought to put him in the 400 hurdles. Each week that he competed he got
better. He started the season running 50.83 and by the SEC Championship had
dipped under 49 seconds running a 48.92. He continued to improves at regionals
running 48.86. I was convinced the youngster had peak. He had not, running with
reckless abandonment and determination he stunned the field with a time of
47.85 to win the NCAA title. That is a U-20 world record for a guy that did not
start running the 400 hurdles until April! Quite the impressive talent and a
sign of things to come.
Distance
800 Meter Run
What a race this was. There were quite a few big names in
this race but none bigger than Isaiah Jewett of USC. Jewett led the NCAA for
majority of the season and did not experience an loss until true freshman
Brandon Miller of Texas A&M beat him at West Regionals. Granted the purpose
of regionals was to qualify that race and their times did not seem like.
Jewett attacked early on running out of line two and coming
off the turn at the 300 mark he quickly moved up front pushing a hard pace with
Miller trailing him. Jewett outkicked the young freshman and claimed the title
with an impressive time of 1:44.68.
1,500 Meter Run
The 1,500 was the first of Oregon’s true freshman Cole
Hocker’s double attempt. He would compete in the 5k later on. In the 1,500
Hocker ran a smart and tactical race. That is usually what is needed to win a
challenge distance race. He played a game of cat and mouse with Yared Nuguse of
Notre Dame. It was his last 200 meters that really set him apart. Locking down
the inside and made it difficult for anyone to pass him. It led him to cross
the line victorious with an impressive freshman time of 3:35.35, a personal
best.
5,000 Meter Run
Hocker attempted quite the double, especially for a
freshman. There was only two hours in between both. He was also competing
against a group of runners who were fresh. Most notably his teammate, senior
Cooper Teare. Teare, Robert Brandt of Georgetown and Athanas Kioko of Campbell jostled
for lead position for most of the race with Teare taking the lead around the
last lap. Teare was able to outkick both Brandt and Kioko while Hocker for majority
of the race seemed out of it. Teare would close strong and claim the national
title with a time of 13:12.27. A personal best and a meet record. Hocker would
close incredibly strong to finish in fourth.
10,000 Meter Run
The 10k was completed on the first semi-final day. All eyes
eventually were transfixed on Connor Mantz as many thought the BYU star would
find a way to claim the NCAA title that he was favored to win. Instead it was
Patrick Dever of Tulsa who outlasted Mantz and claimed the title with a time of
27:41.87 a new collegiate meet record. Mantz would finish 2nd and
fellow contender Wesley Kiptoo of Iowa State finished 11th.
3,000 Meter Steeplechase
There was no true favorite entered in this race as the performance
list for this event constantly changed at the top. This race also had no
expected barring on the team title picture allowing for every athlete to leave
out all there. Kigen Chemadi of Middle Tennessee State outlasted the
competition and found himself the victor with his time of 8:28.20. Middle Tennessee
State has had quite the program over the past few years, Chemadi’s national
title is a testament to the quality of program being built.
JUMPS
High Jump/Long Jump
JuVaughn Harrison of LSU had all eyes on him. The Tigers were
making big statements on the track and needed to make big statements in the
field. Harrison certain major noise claiming the NCAA titles in both the High
Jump and Long Jump.
In the long jump Harrison took the lead from his first jump
with a mark of 26 feet 10 ½ inches (8.19m). His second jump would further
cement him as champion with the leap of 27 feet 1 ¾ inches (8.27m). After such
a strong season I certainly know that I was not the only one expecting a 28-foot
jump, but the weather certainly did not allow for it.
In the high jump there was a little bit of competition.
Harrison had some mishaps on his first two heights, missing the bar on first
attempts on both. It was his clearance over 7 feet 5 inches (2.26m) that clinched
him the lead. He allowed for the bar to be moved up to 7 feet 7 ¾ inches (2.33m) and he cleared it on his first
attempt. He was unable to clear the bar at the next height, 7 feet 10 inches (2.39m)
but he had some nice attempts. I am quite certain we have not seen the last of
Mr. Harrison this season.
Triple Jump
The only thing surprising about the Triple Jump was seeing
USC’s Jordan Scott fail to qualify. He won a indoor national title in 2019 and
finished runner up outdoors. To see him not qualify was a bit of shock. What
was not a shock was freshman Emmanuel Ihemeje of Oregon. Ihemeje shocked the world
when he one the indoor national title. He was now a household name outdoors and
seemed certainly poised to perform well at nationals with the home crowd behind
him. He certainly proved that fact claiming the lead on his very first jump.
The mark of 56 feet 2 ¾ inches (17.14m) was also the best performance by a
collegian this season.
Pole Vault
I expected Zach Bradford or Hussein Al-Hizam of Kansas to
claim the NCAA title. Bradford was the top performer on the season and Al-Hizam
has won a national title in the event in the past. Neither were able to claim
victory or go 18 feet. Instead it was Branson Ellison of Stephen F. Austin with
his jump of 18 feet 8 ¼ inches (5.70m) to claim the crown. Ellison is apart of
that recent success in the pole vault that Stephen F. Austin is becoming known
for.
Throws
Shot Put/Discus
Turner Washington of Arizona State claimed the NCAA title in
both the Shot Put and Discus. Neither victory is a surprise as he was favored to
win both. It is also a testament to the phenomenal throws program at Arizona
State.
Washington led the Shot Put early on with his first throw.
He further cemented his position by hitting a mark of 69 feet 2 ¾ inches
(21.10m) on his third throw. That mark would remain the top mark for the rest
of the competition.
In the discus Washington got the competition over early. His
very first throw of 208 feet 1 inch (63.42m) would serve as the top throw of
the competition. Only two other competitors were able to surpass 200 feet but
none were in the same area as Washington.
Javelin Throw
This was supposed to be another national title for
Mississippi State in the Javelin. They came in with the three best throwers and
for majority of the competition it looked to be so. However, on his last
attempt true freshman Tzuriel Pedigo of LSU gave the Tigers 10 unexpected team points
by throwing a personal best of 252 feet 7 inches (76.98m) for the win. He surpassed
fellow true freshman DJ Johnsson of Mississippi State who led majority of the competition.
Hammer Throw
What a way to end a prolific career for Thomas Mardal of
Florida. That stud senior has been dominant all year long not only in the
hammer throw, but in the weight throw. He followed up a indoor national title
in the weight throw with a national title in the Hammer Throw. Mardal led the competition
from his very first throw and never relinquished the lead. His second attempt
of 251 feet 9 inches (76.74m) was the ultimate winner. It was a personal best
and the top mark by a collegian this season.
Decathlon
Will this be the last time we see a Decathlete win a
national title at Georiga, perhaps. Head coach Petros Kyprianou ended his
employment with the University and will be going elsewhere. Karel Tilga went
out with a bang. As Georgia’s lone competitor in the Decathlon he did not disappoint.
He claimed victory in three events and score in the top 10 in every other
event. Ayden Owens of Michigan certainly put up a fight but it was Tilga with a
total of 8,261 points that was the victor.
Relays
4x100 Relay
I was curious to see how the big battle between Houston and
LSU would shape up. Houston made a baton mishap and dropped the baton at the first
exchange. On the anchor leg Terrance Laird had to do some serious working to keep
Matthew Boling of Georgia at bay. LSU claimed the title with a time of 38.49. (Dylan
Peebles, Noah Williams, Akanni Hislop, Terrance Laird)
4x400 Relay
All eyes were on North Carolina A&T. Having nearly broke
the NCAA record at regionals with a time of 2:59.21, there was expectation and
hope that they would break it and possibly go under 2:59. Those hopes were
further validated after that time of 43.85 by Ross. The first leg Daniel Stokes
may have gone out a little too hard. He ran such a strong first 270 meters of
his race. The last 130 he really struggled and went from making up the staggard
from handing off nearly last. Ross quickly made up the loss by surging to the
lead at the 200-meter mark of his leg and A&T never relinquished their
lead. They claim the title with a mark of 3:00.92. (Daniel Stoke, Randolph
Ross, Elijah Young, Trevor Stewart).
Team Title
LSU was simply to much to handle. The Tigers had their mishaps.
Not qualifying the 4x400 relay and Damion Thomas finishing 8th in
the 110 hurdles. They still had quite the impressive showing scoring 84 points
without a 4x400 relay, unheard of. They claimed six event titles, 100, 4x100,
Long Jump, High Jump, 400 Hurdles and the Javelin. There was just too much fire
power to stop them. LSU also has very few seniors on their team, and we should
expect for some of their heavy hitters to return and provide fire power to what
should be a strong 2022 team. They will lose Damion Thomas and Terrance Laird
may decide to go professional but they have a strong core of athletes returning
next season and may even have a more potent team.
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