Weekend Recap 5

3:35.01!

(Josh Kerr-New Mexico)

The theme of record breaking has continued. Another week another NCAA record has fallen. The past two years of NCAA Division 1 track and field has been exciting. So many historic records falling and the all-time lists are changing. The record breaking and challenging team battles are making the sport more exciting to young viewers. In this recap we will review what was an eventful weekend that included a new NCAA record by a rising superstar.

SPRINTS

Early in the indoor season senior Ncincilili Titi of South Carolina held the number one ranking in the 200. Although he would go on to be dethroned his time proved that he would be a serious threat this outdoor season. He just recently proved that. On his home track he clocked in a NCAA leading time of 20.00. His time is wind-legal and proves that he should still be considered a threat come June.

In the 400 Michael Norman of USC defeated a stacked field at the Mt. Sac Relays. The talented sophomore clocked in at 44.53 to defeat a talented field that included two other competitors under 45 seconds. Norman is now the number one ranked runner outdoors in the NCAA and the number two ranked runner in the world. This is his first 400 of the season and after a early season speedy 200 expect for him to lower his time.

On the women’s side Norman’s talented freshman teammate Twanisha Terry has now climbed into the record books. Terry won the 100-meter dash at the Mt. Sac Relays against a talented field to clock in at 10.99. Terry is now the number two junior on the all-time list and the number one ranked junior in the world. Terry is claimed the title as fastest freshman in NCAA history.

DISTANCE

Josh Kerr of New Mexico is the latest collegiate distance superstar. After defeating King Edward Cheserek of Oregon at the NCAA Championship he has consistently been on a tear. At the Bryan Clay Invitational Kerr added to his legend by breaking the NCAA record in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:35.01. In that same race was fellow distance star and Canadian Justyn Knight of Syracuse. Although it is still the regular season so we may not be done with the record breaking from this young man.

Matthew Baxter of Northern Arizona is the latest runner to garner national attention for this well coached program. Baxter also competing at the Bryan Clay Invitational won the 5,000 with a time of 13:31. His time immediately vaulted him to the number one spot in the NCAA. It remains to be scene of Knight of Syracuse will compete in the event but Baxter will prove to be a formidable challenge.

The Oregon women’s middle-distance group also had an impressive weekend and further improved their team title hopes. Sabrina Southerland and Jessica Hull both garnered impressive performances this past weekend and both now rank number two in the NCAA in the perspective events. Southerland’s time in the 800 was 2:01.44 and Hull’s time in the 1,500 was 4:10.46. Both were the top collegiate athletes in their races but lost to professionals, Southerland at the Mt. Sac Relays and Hull at the Bryan Clay Invitational. After a poor performing indoor season, by Oregon standards, the Ducks are forming into a formidable team.

Marie Bouchard of San Francisco ran a NCAA number one time of 15:32.95 in the 5,000 to win the Cardinal Classic and defeat Erin Finn of Michigan. Both athletes ran the number 1 and number 2 time in the NCAA which might be a preview of the NCAA Championships in June. Bouchard has no outdoor national championship experience so it remains to be seen how she will do against high level competition at a national championship but beating Finn this early in the season is a great start.

JUMPS

True freshman Vernon Turner of Oklahoma is continuing his solid season in the high jump. Turner this past weekend garnered the number one ranking with a mark of 7 feet 5 ¼ inches. The freshman also held the number one ranking for a short time indoor season, it remains to be seen how long he can keep his ranking outdoors.

Terrell McClain of Akron did the Mid-American Conference proud this season. He is the latest talented junior from the conference to garner national attention and a number one ranking. McClain leaped out to 26 feet 10 inches in the long jump to finish second at the Beach Invitational. Professional jumper for Adidas and Olympian Jeff Henderson was the winner. McClain’s jump is quite impressive this early in the season but a mark that shows he will be in the hunt come June.

Georgia has been jumps university for the past few years and this weekend they garnered two new number one rankings. American record holder and senior star Keturah Orji in the triple jump and Tatiana Gusin in the high jump. Orji’s winning mark of 47 feet ¼ inches and Gusin’s winning mark of 6 feet 2 inches. With both garnering number one rankings Georgia continues to validate that they are the best women’s jump program in the NCAA. 

Gusin who did not have the indoor season she would have liked is clearly returning to her championship form that defined her in the past. Having Gusin round into championship form early will improve the team’s overall outlook.

THROWS

Two throwers this weekend joined the all-time top 10 collegiate list. Gleb Dudarev of Kansas won the Kansas relays in the hammer throw with a mark of 256 feet. His mark is good for fifth all time in places him in the number one spot in the nation. On the women’s side Brooke Anderson of Northern Arizona won the hammer throw with her mark of 236 feet 8 inches good for number five all-time and currently number two in the NCAA.

  

RELAY

USC Women’s 4x100 Relay garner relay of the week honors. The quartet of Angie Kennelus, Kendall Ellis, Deanna Hill and Twanisha Terry ran a school record time of 42.57. Their mark is number two in the NCAA and sixth all-time. With their performances this past weekend the Lady Trojans now have the number one ranking in the NCAA.

FINAL WORD

We are inching closer and closer to the championships season but this weekend will be a weekend of relays. The National Relay competition will be held at Arkansas and the historic relay carnival the Penn Relays. I will be at the Penn Relays and will be looking to a great recap and hopefully I will be able to provide good video. This should be an exciting weekend in the world of track and field.