We have now reached Week 3 of the 2017 Indoor season. As expected we have plenty of new number 1’s and a change in the team competition. With it still being early in the season there a still a few headliners who have yet to run their main event this season. However with a list of high quality meets being held this weekend expect for many of them to make their debuts. While we wait for week 4 let us recap week 3 with the top marks from the weekend.
6. SHAKIMA WIMBLEY (MIAMI)- Senior Wimbley is one of the early season favorites to compete for the NCAA title in the women’s 400 meters. Wimbley has proven to have impressive long speed but has not had enough endurance to thwart her competitors in recent years. She opened this past weekend at the Rod McCravy Memorial in Lexington, Kentucky with a great time. Against an impressive field Wimbley crossed the finish line in a NCAA leading time of 51.28. A great start to what should be an exciting season.
5. JOHNNIE JACKSON (LSU)- Jackson is one the top returning seniors on a talented LSU men’s team. Jackson has been a reliable thrower for the Tigers most notably outdoors. This past weekend at the Auburn Invitational he proved he could be reliable indoors as well with a 7 foot personal best in the weight throw. Jackson’s national leading mark of 77-3 vaulted him into the spotlight as a legit candidate for the individual title.
4. GRANT HOLLOWAY (FLORIDA)- Let’s just get used to seeing his name here every weekend. The talented freshman again earned another number 1 ranking for the season. Holloway leaped out to 26-5 in the men’s long jump to claim the number 1 spot over his teammate KeAndre Bates. Holloway now has two events where he is the clear number 1. With that being his first jump of the season it’s quite possible that he may jump 27 feet later in the season.
3. JAVIANNE OLIVER (KENTUCKY)- Oliver has began the season running some impressive times in the 60 meter dash legitimatizing her status as a top tier sprinter. At the Rod McCravy Memorial she ran against pre-season favorite and defending champion Teahna Daniels of Texas. Oliver ran a stellar race winning with a time of 7.18 over Daniels 7.21. In that race Oliver completed two impressive feats; she defeated the defending champion and claimed the new number 1 in the event nationwide.
2. JEREEM RICHARDS (ALABAMA)- The talented junior cemented his spot on the list by running a national leading time in the 200 meter dash clocking in at 20.57. It’s quite impressive seeing how it would have been a time 3 mark last season and that was his season debut. Richards a junior college transfer competing for Alabama maybe the next big 200 meter sprint star.
1. KETURAH ORJI (GEORGIA)- Orji has already proven to have been the greatest female American triple jumper ever. The talented youngster finished 4th at the Rio Olympics last season and broke the American record countless times. She opened her season with a mark that any other year would have claimed the national title. Orji leaped to a mark of 45-9 ¼ to lead her closest competitor by almost 2 feet. Orji is also ranked in the top 5 in the women’s long jump and is on her way to another impressive indoor season.
RELAYS OF THE WEEK
There were two very impressive relays this past weekend. The Texas men’s Distance medley relay team was perhaps the most impressive. They won their race at the Rod McCray Memorial at the University of Kentucky winning their race by more than 10 seconds. Their time of 9:52.07 moved to the top spot in the NCAA and proved that this Longhorn group has what it takes to have a great season.
The USC women’s 4x400 relay hung on to win against an impressive field in the same meet at the University Kentucky. The Lady Trojans outlasted Baylor to claim a national leading time of 3:31.73. Their time is quite impressive for a debut. With junior Kendall Ellis on the anchor leg USC will be a threat to win it all in the event with Texas in a rebuild mode this season.
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