We are officially in April and the outdoor season is in full
swing. There have been over 100 meets that have commenced already this outdoor
season and welcome return to the absence of last season. This past weekend
there were a bevy of great meets and competition that generated 18 new number
one performances. We will look at those new numbers in this recap.
SPRINTS/HURDLES
The women did most of the damage this weekend in the
sprinting events starting with senior Twanisha Terry of USC. The talented star
who has been at the top of the collegiate ranks her entire career continued
that streak of success. At the Florida Relays she clocked a winning time of
11.08 that placed her number one in the country. Terry lost the NCAA Indoor title
in the 60-meter dash but is currently the favorite to win the overall title on
Track and Field News NCAA form chart.
In the 200 Tamara Clark of Alabama again proved that she is
ready to challenge anyone in the field for the title. She clocked a national
leading time at the Florida Relays with 22.50. Abby Steiner was at the meet but
did not compete in the open 200. Expect for the rivalry between the two to
continue later in the season.
Kaelin Roberts of USC shocked the world when she defended
her NCAA Indoor 400 title from Athing Mu of Texas A&M. She also opened her outdoor
season in the 400 this weekend at the Florida Relays winning in a time of 51.23.
Although not under 51 seconds, she already has an indoor’ s best of 50.84 and
we should expect her to lower that time later in the season.
Roberts USC teammate Anna Cockrell is also a defending champion
when the 400-meter hurdle title in 2019. At the Florida Relays she nearly
matched her time from that last champion winning the race in 55.65. Cockrell
has nearly a full second lead on the second ranked competitor this season
Leaving her as the easy favorite to win.
The lone top performance from the men in sprints/hurdles
comes from USC senior Cameron Samuel. At the Florida Relays Samuel beat a
strong field to claim the number one ranking with a time of 49.67. There is no
returning champion in this race leaving the field wide open. With that being
said I expect for this event to change regularly on the national performing
list.
DISTANCE
It seems that anyone who is anybody competed this past
weekend at the Hayward Premiere. Competing at Oregon’s new world class facility
were quite a few top tier distance programs. The meet was responsible for six
number one performances. Similar to the Florida Relays it drew major competition.
In the men’s 800 and 1,500 Cole Hocker of Oregon is again
making noise. The talented freshman won the mile and 3,000 this past indoor
season. On his home track he claimed victory in the 800 with a time of 1:46.60
and the 1,500 with a time of 3:38.99. Both marks are number one in the country
so far. Expect for Hocker to continue to making noise. Being a freshman
certainly does not phase him.
In the 5,000-meter run Eduardo Herrera of Colorado took on
the monster that is known as BYU’s trio of 5,000 runners. BYU has quite the
impressive group not just in this event but overall. However, the 5,000 is an
event where they have proven throughout the indoor season where they are
potentially the strongest. Herrera had different plans in mind winning the race
with a time of 13:24.46. Herrera is the Pac 12 Cross Country athlete of the
year and proved his fitness and performance level at the conference cross
country meet so we should expect more from Herrera later this season.
Iowa State also wanted some of the headlining action sending
both of their top two long distance runners to compete at Hayward Field. Wesley
Kiptoo who won the 5,000 indoors claimed victory in the 10,000 with a time of
27:58.10. His teammate, senior Edwin Kurgat finished second with a time
27:58.33. Their times are currently ranked 1 and 2 nationally.
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase BYU finally claimed victory.
Clayson Shumway beat a quality field to claim the top time clocking in at
8:47.48 to win. This is another event BYU expects to perform well in. I expect
for Shumway to become a household name with the currently number 1 ranked team.
On the women’s side senior Sage Hurta again finds herself at
the top of the performance list, this time in the 800. The talented miler from Colorado
University continues to have quite the season. She claimed the 800 title at the
Hayward Premiere with a time of 2:00.62, nearly breaking the 2:00 minute mark. Hurta
won the NCAA title in the indoor mile and is already getting her outdoor season
off to a great start.
In the 1,500, the likely event for Sage Hurta. Presley Weems
of Auburn ran an impressive race at the Florida Relays. She claimed victory in
a time of 4:14.35 over the home team’s Imogen Barnett.
In the 10,000 true freshman Grace Forbes certainly was not
scared of the daunting distance. The freshman clocked the nation’s number one
time with 32:24.48 to win the race. The 10k is not an event distance runners
will run a large volume of during the season. This time will however assure us
that Forbes will be in the mix later this season.
The lone women’s number one at the Hayward Premiere came in
the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Charlotte Prouse of New Mexico is the next distance
star in line at talent rich New Mexico University. Prouse clocked in at 9:54.65
to win. She is currently one of just four runners who have run under 10 minutes
in the event. We are likely to hear more from her later this season.
FIELD
In the jumps events there were no new number one performance
this weekend for the men. On the women’s side there was one. The one is a
familiar top tier performer, Tyra Gittens. Gittens did previously win the High
Jump and Pentathlon at the Indoor Championships a few weeks ago. She continued
her strong 2021 season winning the High Jump in the dual with Texas with her
mark of 6 feet 2 ¾ inches.
The throwing events is where most the new rankings in field
events come from. Senior Thomas Mardal of Florida broke his school record and
claimed the number one ranking in the Hammer Throw. On his home field during
the Florida Relays the senior launched a throw of 248 feet 7 inches. Florida is
currently ranked number three and will be heavily relying on Mardal to be at
the top for them to compete for the team title.
On the women’s side Laulagua Tausaga of Iowa garnered her
second number one ranking. In the shot put she hit a season’s best mark of 58
feet 10 ¼ inches to win the Big Ten North Florida Invitational. She is already
currently ranked number one in the Discus. You can never count out the great
throwers at Ohio State but expect for Tausaga to be a big name throughout the
season.
In the Hammer Throw a familiar name returns to the front. Defending
champion Junior Camryn Rogers of California hit a mark of 235 feet 4 inches.
That throw is farther than the mark she hit to win the NCAA title in 2019.
Rogers did not have a great indoor season with the weight throw, expect for her
to have a better outdoor season with the Hammer.
CONCLUSION
So far so good it what I will say to this outdoor season. The
marks have been impressive, the team title picture is certainly not clear yet,
but the season has not been cancelled and we are blessed to still have competitions.
I am happy to see the season progressing and hope it continues.
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