Track Season Moves on with Regional Action in Iowa
May 23, 2007 | Track and Field
May 23, 2007
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LUBBOCK, Texas - With the NCAA Championships looming in the near future, the Texas Tech track and field teams will first compete at the NCAA Midwest Regional Friday and Saturday to qualify. Des Moines, Iowa, and Drake University will host this year's regional, which is set to begin May 25th from Drake Stadium.
The Red Raiders will be looking to finish in the top five for individual events and top three in relays to advance to the NCAA Championships scheduled for June 6-9 in Sacramento, Calif. Tech will have 18 opportunities on the men's side and 19 for the women, as declared May 21st.
The men are coming off on an impressive second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships on May 12th. Five individuals won event titles for the Red Raiders, including four that will compete at the regional meet. Marlon Odom and Bryan Scott wrapped up their final Big 12 event with their third outdoor crown each. Odom won the 110M hurdles for the third-consecutive year after running a mark of 13.78, becoming the first Big 12 male to win the gold three times in the event. Bryan Scott returned to title form in the men's 400M hurdles after capturing the crown in 2004 and 2005. He won the 2007 event with a clocking of 47.79, his second-best career mark.
First time titlists on the men's side include senior Zach Glavash, who finished as runner-up during the indoor 800M. The 2006 indoor All-American stormed ahead of the pack to win in a personal-best time of 1:47.99. His previous best was a run of 1:49.32 in 2006.
Senior Jamie Robinson, who was bothered by shoulder tendonitis earlier in the season, proved to be at 100 percent when he threw for the javelin crown. The product of Anson, Texas, became Tech's first throwing champion when he had a mark of 222'-10", three feet over his previous PR.
Also earning his first Big 12 title was senior distance runner Kevin Chelimo. The Kenya native opened the conference meet with a victory in the men's 10000M, running a time of 30:34.43. He became the first Tech male to win the Big 12 10000M. As the event is not run at the regional meets, Chelimo will be featured in the men's 5000M, which he regionally qualified for during the season.
The Red Raider women took fourth, finishing two points behind Texas for third. Two titles were won on the women's side, both by standout sophomore Sally Kipyego. The three-time national champion captured the 1500M and 5000M gold on the final day of the meet. Running in the 1500M for the first time at the Big 12 Championships, Kipyego ran a PR of 4:21.57 in the finals for the title. She posted a mark of 16:43.01 in the 5000M, while junior Irene Kimaiyo earned Tech the one-two finish with a second-place run of 16:56.70. Kipyego is declared to run in the 5000M for the Midwest Regional.
Friday's portion of the region meet will feature the 5000M as the only running final, while the long jump, women's javelin, high jump and shot put, as well as the men's hammer, pole vault and discus will wrap up that day. The remaining field events and finals of all races will take place on Saturday.
Live results and viewing can be found on Drake's official athletic site, www.godrakebulldogs.com. A complete Texas Tech recap will be available following each day's completion on www.texastech.com.
DRAKE STADIUM REVISITED
A number of the Red Raiders athletes have already competed at Drake Stadium this year, taking part in the Drake Relays held April 26-28. Tech student-athletes put up good numbers, including earning a school record and a gold medal. Marlon Odom captured the school's wind-legal record in the 110M hurdles with a run of 13.56. He took third in the finals with a time of 13.71.
Anthony Flemons emerged as the only champion at the Drake Relays, as he captured the triple jump crown in his first leaps in the event during outdoor season. The freshman jumped 52'-9.25" to earn his first regional mark, adding to his first long jump mark from the first day of the relays.
Junior Michael Cast had his season best throw in the javelin at Drake Stadium. He threw four feet over his previous best with a toss of 207'-3" to finish fourth.
Eventual Big 12 800M champion Zach Glavash ran his first regional mark of the season at Drake. He took sixth with a run of 1:49.88 during the final day's events.
In the 400M hurdles, Bryan Scott and Jansen Hyde finished in first and second, respectively. Scott ran his third-best time in the runner-up race, clocking a mark of 49.81. Hyde shaved more than one second from his previous best with a run of 50.67, bettering his altitude-adjusted mark of 52.00.
Also with a third-best career mark was senior Katie Leonard in the women's 3000M steeplechase. She notched her then-second career regional mark with a time of 10:49.19. Another runner with a third best time was Asia Diaz in the 800M, after finishing in 3:44.56.
REGIONAL COMPETITORS
The 20th-ranked Red Raider men will be competing in 10 different events with 18 competitors. The following lists those competing and their 2007 outdoor accomplishments in their regional events (event/regional rank):
• Zach Glavash (800M/3): Ran PR time (1:47.99) to title the Big 12 800M... Third-best career time ran during prelims (1:49.45)... First regional qualification of the year at Drake Relays (1:49.88).
• Kevin Chelimo (5000M/2): Set the school 5000M record at the Payton Jordan Cardinal in Stanford, Calif. (13:40.83)... Missed the then-school record of 13:44.0 by .61 of a second at the Mt. SAC Relays (13:44.61)... Took the bronze at the Big 12 in the event (14:30.93).
• Marlon Odom (110MH/1): Ran nation's third-best mark and school's wind-aided record of 13.50 at the TCU Invitational... Captured school wind-legal mark at Drake Relays (13.56)... Took bronze at Mt. SAC with then-PR 13.57... Won third Big 12 110M H title (13.78) in addition to first Texas Relays crown (14.12).
• Omo Osaghae (110MH/8): PR of 13.99 to take fourth at Big 12... Second-best time of 14.04 in prelims... First regional mark at TCU Invite (14.18).
• Jansen Hyde (110MH/11/400MH/3): PR of 14.11 in 110MH to place seventh at Big 12... Second-best mark of 14.17 in prelims... Ran qualifying marks at Texas and Drake Relays (14.24/14.27)... Took third with PR (50.67) in 400MH at Drake Relays... Ran first career-qualifying time at Texas Tech Open (3/31) running 51.89.
• Nathan Lowry (110MH/13): Earned first regional mark at Texas Relays (14.24)... Qualified with PR time at TCU Invite (14.17).
• Bryan Scott (400MH/1): Ran nation's fourth-fastest time and PR during season opener (49.48)... Had second-best mark at Big 12 to earn title (49.79)... Had seven total regional marks on the year.
• 4x400M/7: Fastest time notched at season opener (3:07.60)... Had two regional marks at Drake Relays... Finished fourth at Big 12 (3:08.91) sans Brandon Washington.
• Justin Turner (High jump/14): Had personal best and only regional mark at UTEP Invite, clearing 6'-10.75".
• Chris Ashcraft (pole vault/4): Took bronze at Big 12 with PR (17'-6.5")... Met 16'-6.75" three times on season, including Drake Relays for fourth.
• Seth Harris (pole vault/4): Had PR (17'-6.5") to finish fourth at Big 12... Took first at TCU Invite with third-best clearance (17'-2.75")... Six regional marks on year.
• Brian Porter (pole vault/11): Met regional mark at first competition of outdoor (prior to indoor even being over) with PR (17'-0.75")... Had five qualification on year... Took eighth at Big 12 (16'-6.75").
• Bobby Evers (long jump/8): Had PR jump of 25'-0.5" at Big 12 to finish sixth... Opened season with regional mark at Jim Click Shootout (24'-9.25")... Qualified four times in four competitions.
• Lyle Leong (long jump/10): Limited action with spring football... Qualified in first attempt at TCU Invite (24'-4.5")... Finished seventh at Big 12 with PR (24'-11.5").
• Anthony Flemons (Triple jump/4): Took crown at Drake Relays in first triple jump competition of year (52'-9.25")... Seventh-best mark in nation... Finished fourth at Big 12 (51'-8.5").
• Jamie Robinson (javelin/2): Won Tech's first Big 12 throwing title with personal best (222'-10")... Competed in only two events prior to Big 12 due to tendonitis in the shoulder.
•Michael Cast (javelin/16): PR at Drake Relays to place fourth (207'-3")... First regional mark at TCU Invite (203'-8")... Finished with bronze at Big 12 (201'-11").
Nineteen Tech women will be competing in 13 different events.
• Louise Cox (400M/15): Had PR time and first-ever regional mark at Texas Tech Open (54.27/54.38 adjusted)... Ran 54.37 in prelims of Big 12... Placed fifth in finals (54.61).
• Asia Diaz (800M/13): Ran PR and first-ever regional mark at Big 12 prelims (2:08.69)... Finished seventh in finals (2:13.37)... Second-best mark at TCU Invite (2:11.47).
• Irene Kimaiyo (1500M/11;5000M/2): Ran PR and single 1500M in first competition (4:25.59)... Shattered PR in 5000M at Payton Jordan Cardinal with nation's 11th-best time (15:58.41)... Captured silver at Big 12 (16:56.70).
• Katie Leonard (3000M SC/17): Had top-three career marks and first regional qualifications... PR at Big 12 to finish eighth (10:45.84)... First mark at Texas Relays finishing fourth (10:48.82)... Also qualified at Drake Relays (10:49.19).
• Sally Kipyego (5000M/1): Met regional mark in both runnings of race, including school record at Mt. SAC Relays (15:19.72)... Took title at Big 12 (16:43.01).
• Violet Chemakwila (5000M/12): Qualified at Mt. SAC Relays (16:49.86)... Finished fifth at Big 12 (17:27.56).
• Tori Smith (110MH/19): Ran PR at Big 12 prelims (13.86)... Finished seventh in finals (13.95)... Ran 13.86 nonadjusted for first qualification at TTU Open.
• Sandra Iwunze (400MH/10): Ran school-record time in first meet (59.88)... Had top mark at TTU Open (59.46)... Second-best mark in Big 12 prelims (59.56)... Finished seventh in finals... Five regional marks during season.
• 4x400M/9: Ran only regional mark at Big 12 meet to place sixth (3:40.18).
• Lacy Wilson (high jump/4): Third-best career height at Texas Relays (6'-0"), finishing third... Took fifth at Big 12 (5'-11.25") with season's second-best height... Had six regional marks on year.
• Lindsey Walesheck (pole vault/7): Hit personal best height twice during season (13'-1.5")... First time at Jim Click Shootout in first competition... Second time at Big 12 meet to finish fifth... Qualified three times during season.
• Amanda Alley (pole vault/7): Had PR mark twice during season (13'-1.5")... Met first at TCU Invite, finishing second... Second time at Big 12 meet with fourth-place finish... Qualified all five times she met a height during the season, also becoming top-five career marks.
• Kelley Schulz (pole vault/12): Five regional marks on the year... Met 12'-11.5" twice, at the Drake and Texas Relays... Took eighth place at Big 12 Championships (12'-9.5").
• Patience Knight (shot put/17; discus/7): First regional shot put mark at Sooner Invitational (48'-7.25")... Season's second-best toss at Big 12 (47'-10.5"), finishing 10th... Prior to Big 12, top discus mark 151'-7"... Threw nearly 20 feet better at Big 12 with toss of 171'-6" to finish fourth.
• D'Andra Carter (discus/6): Had third best career mark at season opening Jim Click Shootout (176'-1")... Threw 175'-8" at Big 12 to finish in bronze position... Took second at Texas Relays (174'-9")... Qualified in every meet (seven times).
• Ozie Okolie (discus/25; hammer/8): Set school-record hammer mark three times during season... PR of 193'-9" at Big 12 meet, to finish third... Finished first at Sooner Invite (182'-9") and TTU Open (178"-1")... Had PR and first regional discus mark at TTU Open (159'-7").
Players Mentioned
