9:19.42!
Well, I guess things are back to normal, so to speak. Another weekend, another NCAA record falls. Our theme for the past few years is changing from theme to new reality. Gone are the days were seeing a single national record fall was rare. It has now become habit to experience it quite regularly. Soon I will have to come up with a new theme. When the theme was created it was not an expectation to see one almost every weekend. It was maybe one or two in year, but alas things are changing. In this recap we are reviewing the new number one performances for the weekend along with updates on new records.
Record Breakers
The two most important number one’s from this past weekend
are the new NCAA records. First there is the Oregon Ducks. They are back to
their record-breaking ways this time the Distance Medley Relay. At the Razorback
Invitational the men of Oregon shaved five seconds off their own national
record with a time of 9:19.42. This is also an all-time world best. The IAAF
will not be able to ratify the record because members of Oregon’s relay team
are from different countries.
This is a major statement early in the season and on the
track that John McDonnell built. This was an impressive performance that
certainly stamped them as the obvious favorite, look out for more from this
impressive group. Their splits are as follow Cole Hocker for 1200 at 2:49.89,
Luis Peralta for 400 at 47.28, Charlie Hunter for 800 at 1:47.65 and Cooper
Teare for 1,600 at 3:54.61.
KC Lightfoot of Baylor did it again in the men’s pole vault.
After a record-breaking season debut Lightfoot again stunned the crowd with his
performance. His mark of 19 feet 6 ¼ inches is the new record, but for how long.
Let us not be stunned if he breaks the record again this season.
SPRINTS/HURDLES
Micah Williams is the new guy on the block. He was the
number one ranked high schooler after just his junior season. We never got to
see what his senior season could have been courtesy of the pandemic. As a
freshman he is proving why he was so highly sought after. He blasted to a time
of 6.56 in the 60-meter dash to become the new number one. He beat a strong
field that included USC’s Brendon Stewart. This is also his season debut so we
should expect more to come later this season.
Senior Bryce Deadmon lost his number one ranking in the 400
last week but regained it this past weekend. At the Texas Tech Invitational
Deadmon dominated the field with a time of 45.29. Due to Texas Tech’s altitude,
it was converted to a 45.40. Both times will register as number one. Deadmon
has been carrying that strong 400-meter tradition built by Pat Henry.
On the women’s side the number one ranked Arkansas
Razorbacks has yet another talented 400-meter runner. Junior Paris Peoples
takes the reign as the top runner with her national leading time of 52.48. The
Arkansas women’s squad holds five athletes in the top 12. That is sure to spread
now that we are in February, but that is still an impressive feat. Peoples is
currently the first leg but has proven to be the best so far this season of a
very deep group.
In the hurdles Imani Carothers of Georgia takes the number
one spot. The talented junior had a huge persona best with a time of 8.06 at
the Razorback Invitational. She is also a jumper for the Bulldogs competing in
both the long and triple jump. Since losing Tara Davis Georgia has been looking
for someone built in the same mode and Carothers has stepped to be that
athlete.
DISTANCE
A lot took place this weekend amongst distance runners.
Between the men and women there were six new number one performances. We have
already discussed the record-breaking performance with a few of those athletes
giving more number one performances.
In the mile Charlie Hunter dominated a strong field that
included his teammate Reed Brown. The Oregon junior clocked a winning time of 3:54.54.
That is a strong time early in the season. He also did while beating two others
who also went under 4 minutes in the mile. He has a two second lead on the rest
of the field and will likely improve upon his already top tier time. Oregon
currently has the top two milers in the country and that does not include
Cooper Teare.
In the 3,000 senior Cooper Teare took the number one ranking
winning in a time of 7:46.10. He beat out teammate Cole Hocker who ran 7:46.44
for second. Teare has had quite the impressive career for the Oregon Ducks. The
only thing missing is an individual national title. He made a strong statement
this weekend for consideration as the favorite.
Lauren Gregory of Arkansas is proving to be quite the talent
for the Lady Razorbacks. She took over the number one ranking with a tie of
4:35.69 beating an impressive field on her home track. In each distance event except
the 800 and DMR the Lady Razorbacks have the number one ranked athlete. Gregory
is also the number one in the 3,000 from last weekend. Her training is clearly
going well, and she seems to be in the right mind frame to deliver two
impressive weekends back-to-back. What she does during championship season
remains to be seen but is fair to see we expect to see her do great things.
Katie Izzo of Arkansas reclaimed the top spot in the women’s
5,000. The senior defeated Lauren Gregory in the race as well. Izzo was the preseason
favorite and has had to take a few “L’s” early in the season. Izzo beat Gregory
to the tape with a time of 15:36.22. Izzo seems to have steered things back towards
her but keep an eye out for Gregory who is having an impressive season.
The distance medley relay on the women’s side did not come
with a NCAA record but a solid time early in the season. BYU took over the top
spot with a time of 11:03.62 at the UW Preview. They defeated host Washington
by almost three seconds and certainly put the rest of the country on notice.
FIELD EVENTS/MULTI'S
The jumps were on fire this past weekend on the men’s side.
Every event this weekend has new number one. We already discussed the record-breaking
pole vault performance from this past weekend. In the high jump JuVaughn
Harrison of LSU continues to perform at a high level. He leaped to a mark of 7
feet 5 ¾ inches. He is also ranked number three in the long jump. If LSU is
going to win the Indoor title, he is a big piece of that attempt.
Senior Isaac Grimes of Florida State continues to have an impressive
indoor season. He leaped to great mark of 26-10. Will we see 27 feet this
season? It remains to be seen. The mark also solidifies his stance as a threat
to win the national title and possibly makes him the favorite. It also leads
the way to strong resurgence for the men of Florida State in the jumps.
TCU has had great jumpers in the past and senior Chengetayi
Mapaya is the latest to be considered a challenger for the national title. He
leaped to the top of the national performance list with his mark of 54 feet 6 ¾
inches. It is still early and there are few big names who have yet to jump but
this mark will require everyone to step up.
Leo Neugebauer of Texas is the big name in the men’s
heptathlon. The sophomore scored a total of 5,960 points at the Texas Tech
Invitational. He nearly almost broke 6,000 points. Neugebauer has more than 100
points on his closest competitor on the senior and will likely enter the championship
season as the new favorite.
On the women’s side there were not as many number one
performances but they were impressive. Both new number one performances were by
the same woman from Texas A&M. Tyra Gittens. I stated last weekend she is a
threat to win the NCAA title in the High Jump and she further cemented that statement.
Her NCAA leading mark was 6 feet 3 ¼ inches at the Texas Tech Invitational was
one of the best high jump performances ever by a heptathlete. She also in the
same meet claimed the number one ranking in the pentathlon with a total of
4,612 points. It would be asking a lot she can potentially score 20-30 points
at the NCAA meet and single handily keep Texas A&M as a dark horse for a
national title.
We are now in February and the performances are going to
heat up. There are a few big meets this weekend so expect to see a new group of
number one performers. I am again thankful that we are still able to have competitions. I hope we are able to finish the season as it looks to be a championship season for the ages.
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