Whew! What a weekend. Every year Conference Championship
weekend never disappoints. The performance list always changes, and we see many
top tier athletes go head-to-head with a championship on the line. There were
11 number one performances this past weekend. In this post we will discuss the
number one performances and the best races of the weekend.
SPRINTS/HURDLES
Women
The SEC again proved why they are the best conference in the
land. On the women’s side alone there were six number one performances and two
NCAA records. One of those records came courtesy Abby Steiner of Kentucky. What
a season the defending indoor champion is having. She again ran a sensational 200-meter
dash, her winning time of 22.09 was not only a collegiate record but an American
record as well. Her time is also the second fastest in world history. Only
legendary Jamaican sprinter Merlene Ottey has ran faster.
Steiner’s teammate Alexis Holmes was able to prove why she
was the number one quarter-miler and not Talitha Diggs of Florida. Holmes has
had to sit in the shadows the past few seasons but made her presence known
Saturday by proving she is certainly capable of beating the best. Holmes scorched
the track to win the 400-meter race in a time of 50.77. Holmes is clearly now
the favorite and all she needs to do is win the NCAA title.
In the 60-meter dash LSU’s Alia Armstrong was able to 1 for
2 in conference title hopes. She blasted out of the blocks first and had a
clear lead on the field at the 40-meter mark and never let up claiming victory
with a time of 7.11. Armstrong now has the fastest time in the NCAA in the 60-meter
hurdles as well as the 60-meter dash. If she can put it all together in one meet,
she can perform that rare double.
Men
The lone number one performance for the men in the sprints/hurdles
is of course Trey Cunningham of Florida State. The super senior again drew
closer to Grant Holloway’s NCAA record. Cunningham was impressive in his
preliminary race dominating the field with a time of 7.40. That time will serve
as the new number one performance of the season. He would go on to run 7.42 in
the finals. Likely Cunningham may be able to break Holloway’s NCAA record.
Although not a number one time perhaps the best race of the season
came from Champion Allison of Florida. A highly sought-after recruit from
Houston, Texas Allison has shown flashes of talent with his blazing speed. For
reasons unknown it never materialized into championship level performances.
After transferring to Florida Mike Holloway is certainly bringing the best in
him out. Allison ran a dominating race at the SEC Championships to clock in at
45.04. He is now ranked number two in the country and things will certainly get
interesting between him and Randolph Ross.
DISTANCE
Women
There was one lone new number one performance in the women’s
distance events. No surprise it came from the ACC. Virginia Tech has been outstanding
in the last couple of years in developing 800-meter runners. Lindsey Butler is
the latest star for the Hokies. She claimed the ACC title on her home track in
a time of 2:01.23. Her and Maloney of Arkansas are the only two athletes to
have run sub 2:02. She also ran a leg on Virginia Tech’s ACC Champion Distance
Medley Relay team. The returning all-American is rounding in championship form,
right on time.
Men
Brandon Miller wowed us in 2021 at the Outdoor National
Championship running a 1:44 800 as a true freshman. He started this season as a
clear favorite and has not disappointed this entire season. On his home track
he ran a dominant race clocking in at 1:45.24. Regardless of the conditions a
1:45 performance is nothing to ignore. There is still more in the tank, could
we see a 1:44 indoors. It remains to be seen from this talented young man.
We also cannot ignore the impressive double performed at the
Big Ten Indoor Championship. Olin Hacker led his Wisconsin teammates on an
impressive Distance team performance. Claiming victory in the 3,000 and 5,000
at the Big Ten Championship. Hacker has qualified for the Indoor Championship
in the 3,000.
JUMPS
Jasmine Moore has already had an impressive season setting
the NCAA record for the triple jump. She crossed over an important milestone at
the SEC Indoor Championship. Moore surpassed 22 feet with a mark of 22 feet 1 ¾
inches (6.75m). She is currently the only athlete in the country to surpass 22
feet and is now ranked number one in both the long jump and triple jump. Her double
was huge in the team title race for Florida at the SEC Championship where they
finished second. Her performance will be counted even more at Indoor Nationals.
We finally have our first 15-foot jumper in the Pole Vault
this season. I spoke openly about it happening in our last post. Senior Rachel
Baxter of Virginia Tech claimed the ACC title with her leap of 15 feet 1 ½ inches
(4.61m). Baxter finished fourth nationally last year and will obviously look to
improve upon that mark this season.
THROWS
Women
In what was perhaps the biggest upset of the year Jasmine Mitchell
of Ole Miss took down her star teammate Shey Taiwo in the weight throw. Taiwo
has thrown over 80 feet multiple times this season but was unable to do so this
weekend. Mitchell took the lead on her first throw and never relinquished it.
Her winning mark was 76 feet 10 ½ inches (23.43m).
Men
We have a new leader in the men’s shot put. Senior Daniel
McArthur of North Carolina joined the 70-foot club after winning performance at
the ACC Championship. His winning mark of 70 feet 7 inches (21.51m) is the top
throw on the season. Both McArthur and Adrian Piperi of Texas will look to dethrone
defending champion and NCAA record holder Turner Washington of Arizona State.
Washington has not thrown 70 feet all season and McArthur’s throw and
progression this season has been stellar.
MULTI’s
Anna Hall of Florida left little doubt about who the best
pentathlete is this indoor season. She had an all-time best performance in the
women’s pentathlon at the SEC Championships and that was even with her well
below personal best high jump mark. Hall was in the top three in all five
events, claiming victory in two of them. Her best performance came in the last
event where she ran a 2:05.33 in the 800. She scored a total of 4,618 points
for a new personal record. Her mark is top five all-time.
RELAYS
The 4x400 relay was so competitive this past weekend at the
SEC Championship. On the women’s side Arkansas reigned supreme defeating both
Kentucky and Texas A&M in their heat to win with a time of 3:24.09. Their
time is the new NCAA indoor record, and their time would be equally as
impressive if it was outdoors. Britton Wilson who transferred to Arkansas ran an
impressive anchor leg with a split of 49.8.
On the men’s side Georgia outdueled Florida to win the conference
championship with a time of 3:02.59 to 3:02.61. Florida still has run faster on
the season but did not show it this past weekend. I expect for head coach Mike
Holloway to have his guys ready for the NCAA meet to perform better. Give Georgia’s
coaching staff their credit, Florida has three guys in the top 10 in the
country and they were still beaten by the Bulldogs.
No comments:
Post a Comment