NCAA Indoor Weekend Recap 4

 7.00!

(Julien Alfred-Texas)

Our first weekend of February brought us another set of NCAA records broken. As I have stated that has been our theme. I thought we would have a quiet start to February since there will be two heavily televised meets this coming weekend in the Tyson Invitational and the Millrose Games. However, that was not the case as we had a total of 10 new number one marks including two NCAA records. This recap we will go over the new number one marks and look forward to the weekend coming up. Also keep in mind that moving forward I will not include an altitude adjusted mark instead allowing for the time and or mark the athlete earned to stand.

Sprints/Hurdles

Women

Julien Alfred of Texas is having a fantastic start to her senior year. She has had an incredible career and garnered an NCAA title in the 100 last outdoor season. All that is missing is the indoor 60 meter title and she is leaving little doubt that she is ready to obtain that now. Alfred broke her own NCAA record set two weeks ago by winning the 60-meter dash at the New Mexico Collegiate Invitational in a time of 7.00. Her start was terrific and her drive phase to sprint was textbook. I thought earlier this season that she might be capable of sub 7 and now I am sure of it.

Alfred’s teammate Rhasidat Adeleke has been an incredible all-around talent. Adeleke is currently number one in the NCAA in the 200 (without the adjustment to her altitude time) with 22.52 and now can add the 400. She claimed the second title for Texas at New Mexico with a time of 50.45. An incredible time so early and a new Irish National Record. That is her second Irish National record of the year. They both give Texas an incredible 1-2 punch.

Men

Omotade Ojora of USC reclaimed his number one ranking competing at New Mexico. Without the altitude adjustment the senior clocked a fast 60-meter hurdle time of 7.58. USC has produced some strong hurdlers under the coaching of Olympic Champion Joanna Hayes. Ojora will likely lower his time again and remain the favorite.

Jumps

Women

Lamara Distin of Texas A&M leads the number one High Jump program in the country. This past weekend she added to her NCAA lead with a mark of 6 feet 4 ¼ inches (1.94m). Distin has nearly matched her outdoor personal best set last season this indoor season. We are truly watching one of the best jumpers in NCAA history.

It was only a matter of time before an Arkansas Pole Vaulter found their way on this list. Amanda Fassold is the latest number one ranked athlete for the Razorbacks. She leaped to a mark of 14 feet 10 ¾ inches (4.54m) nearly garnering the 15 foot mark. Fassold is having a solid start to her season and if we have learned anything it’s that it will take a 15-foot mark to win the NCAA title.

Men

Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton continues his reign at the top of the NCAA list. At New Mexico he leaped to a winning mark of 19 feet 4 ¼ inches (5.90m). Guttormsen is edging closer to that national record and with his recent trajectory it is only a matter of time before he surpasses it.

Jaydon Hibbert is a true freshman at Arkansas by way of Jamaica. The talented superstar began his indoor season with a bang. Leaping to a mark of of 54 feet 10 ¾ inches (16.73m). I said at the beginning of the season with the defending champion moving on that a new leader would have to emerge. I guess the freshman said it might as well be him.

Throws

Axelina Johansson of Nebraska is a new name on the leaderboard for the women’s shot put. Johansson had a strong mark on her home field with a winning throw of 63 feet 4 inches (19.30m). Johansson is just a sophomore, but she has three foot lead on both the former and defending champion. Things are certainly heating up in the shot put, I look forward to seeing what the top indoor mark will be.

Relays

On the women’s side the new number one mark is via the Washington Huskies Distance Medley Relay Team. Washington smashed Oregon’s old NCAA record mark with a time of 10.46.62. Although they had a rabbit in the race it still does not take away from their amazing performance. Washington coaching staff was originally from Oregon, and we are seeing some of those same results now at Washington.

On the men’s side it was Arkansas incredible 4x4 mark. The group clocked in a time of 3:01.09 with Christopher Bailey having a 44.3 split. They currently rank 2^nd all time. What a year for Arkansas in the 400.