May 17, 2008
Texas A&M freshman Julian Reid defended his Big 12 indoor title in the long jump by winning the outdoor version at Potts Field by one quarter of an inch with a personal best of 25-6 ?Ľ (7.78).
Meanwhile, in qualifying races for the sprints and hurdles, the Aggie women advanced 15 athletes to Sunday?™s finals as they attempt to defend the Big 12 team championship they claimed last year. The A&M men advanced nine athletes for the finals.
Porscha Lucas tied the Aggie school record in the 200 as she posted the top qualifying time of 22.49 seconds, equaling the Big 12 meet record established at last year?™s meet by A&M?™s Simone Facey.
The Texas A&M women also enjoyed a third-place finish, and six points, from Ashika Charan in the long jump as she reached a personal best of 20-9 ?˝ (6.33). Laura Asimakis contributed four more points by placing fifth in the pole vault with a clearance of 12-7 ?˝ (3.85). Sarah Pierson turned in one point with an eighth-place effort in the heptathlon as she scored a personal best total of 4,705 points.
In addition to Reid?™s victory in the long jump, the Aggie men had additional scoring from two sixth-place efforts. Trinity Otto scored 7,166 points in the decathlon while Javier Olivas reached a distance of 56-4 (17.17) in the shot put.
Reid became the 20th individual champion at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships for the Aggie men and the third A&M long jump champion as he joined Fabrice Lapierre (2004) and Anderson Smith (2003). Reid is currently the No. 7 performer on the Aggie all-time list.
In a battle with another freshman, Nebraska?™s Nicholas Gordon, Reid had to respond in latter rounds. During the Big 12 Indoor meet, Reid posted the winning mark in the first round, but had to wait until round five before taking the lead this time.
Also in contention for the win, with marks over 25 feet, were Anthony Flemons of Texas Tech (25-3 ?Ľ) and Hugh Charles of Colorado (25-2 ?ľ).
?I knew I had to win to ensure 10 points for Texas A&M,? Reid said. ?That was my main objective, just to win. This was more intense than it was indoors. I wasn?™t leading from the first jump so I knew I had to respond.?
Leading the qualifying for the A&M women were Lucas and Jennifer Williams. A&M qualified five athletes in the eight-person 100 final. They will also have three athletes in the 200 and 100 hurdles along with two athletes in the 400 and 400 hurdles. The Aggies posted the fastest qualifier in the 200, 400, 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles.
Lucas powered through the 200 in 22.49 seconds and she had the second fastest time in the 100 with an 11.24. Facey was second fastest in the 200 with a 22.95 and third fastest in the 100 with an 11.30.
The 200 clocking by Lucas improved her previous collegiate-leading time of 22.69 and also bettered the 2008 U.S. leading time of 22.56 run by Sanya Richards. Lucas is currently third on the 2008 World list behind a pair of Jamaicans in Kerron Stewart (22.35) and Veronica Campbell (22.38).
?I?™m really happy with everything today,? Lucas noted. ?I stayed consistent in my 100 and I was able to PR in the 200. I?™m pleased that I continue to drop my times, especially during meets when it really counts, like at conference.
?I got out really well in the curve today, so I think that may be part of the reason why I was able to PR in my 200 race. I think that is the key element in the race.?
Williams ran a windy best of 13.08 in the 100 hurdles, where she has a wind-legal career best of 13.24, and followed with a career best of 57.77 in the 400 hurdles, bettering her previous best of 58.77. She becomes only the third Aggie ever to crack 58 seconds in the event.
?For the Big 12 meet I?™m just taking each race one at a time,? noted Williams. ?I know I have more tomorrow, but I?™m just focusing on the next race in front of me.
?This was a great day to run fast, so I took advantage of it. When I crossed the line in the 400 hurdles, I knew it was going to be fast without even looking at the clock. I?™m really excited to run the time I did in the 100 hurdles.?
The women?™s long jump was also decided by narrow margins as three contenders for the gold medal were separated by three-quarters of an inch. Charan, who is a sophomore, finished third to a pair of seniors with a career best of 20-9 ?Ľ (6.33). She is now equal to the No. 3 performer and No. 6 performance on the A&M all-time list.
Charan achieved the distance on her final jump and it temporarily placed her second. Oklahoma?™s Toni Smith moved back into second place with a final round 20-10 (6.35) leap that matched the winning mark by Candice Mills of Kansas State, who jumped the distance twice in her series to break the tie with Smith.
?It was extremely tense during the last couple of rounds,? Charan said. ?These girls are really good, so you expect them to compete until the final jump. My first thought on jumping past 20-9 on my last jump was that it was about time. I?™ve been waiting to get into the 6.30s.?
Coming into the meet with a career best of 20-6 ?˝ (6.26) Charan matched that mark in the second round. She improved it to 20-7 ?Ľ (6.28) in the third round and then established a personal best in the sixth and final round.
The top qualifying for the Aggie men came in the 400, where Justin Oliver (46.11), Bryan Miller (46.39) and A.C. Robinson (46.20) advanced. Miller produced a career best mark, improving on his 46.76.
Gerald Phiri posted the top time in the 100 with a 10.27 into a -2.4 mps headwind and had the second fastest mark in the 200 (20.60) ahead of teammate Chris Dykes (20.65). Joining Phiri in the 100 will be Richard Adu-Bobie (10.52), who was the fastest non-qualifier in the 200 as he placed ninth with a 21.13.
Nick Robinson broke through the 50-second barrier in qualifying for the 400 hurdles with a career best of 49.92, the second fastest qualifier. Robinson is now equal to the No. 5 performer and No. 10 performance on the A&M all-time list.
Cade Liverman advanced to the final of the 110 hurdles with a clocking of 14.03, but was 11th in the 400-meter hurdle qualifying with a 52.55. Melvin Echard ran 14.25in the 110 hurdles, placing ninth in qualifying.
Jessica Beard led the 400-meter qualifying field with a 52.75 and will be joined in the final by Sandy Wooten, who posted a 55.27.
Joining Lucas and Facey in the 100 final will be Elizabeth Adeoti (11.46 PR), Khyrstal Carter (11.46 PR) and Allison George (11.57). Gabby Mayo was the fastest non-qualifier at 11.60. George also advanced in the 200 with a career best of 23.24, while Carter was the top non-qualifier in ninth place with a 23.32 PR.
Lindsey Adams joined Williams as a double qualifier in the hurdles. She posted a 13.34 wind-aided mark in the 100 hurdles and then established a career best of 58.68 in the 400 hurdles. Whitney Holmes also advanced in the 100 hurdles with a time of 13.64.
Asimakis, who placed fourth in the javelin on day one, added four points in the pole vault with a fifth-place finish. Jennifer Davidson finished 13th with a clearance of 11-7 ?ľ (3.55).
Saturday?™s first final had Pierson picking up a point as she placed eighth in the heptathlon with a score of 4,705 points. Improving her career best score by over 100 points, Pierson also becomes the No. 10 performer on the Aggie all-time list. Pierson also tied for ninth in the high jump, clearing 5-5 (1.65).
Nebraska freshman Meghan Wheatley maintained her first day lead and won the heptathlon with 5,643 points. The Cornhuskers totaled 26 points in the event, claiming places 1-2-4-6.
Nebraska also scored 24 more points in the high jump and 11 from the pole vault. After two days of competition the Cornhuskers lead in team scoring with 79 points off eight finals. Kansas State (45 ?˝), Kansas (40 ?˝), Texas A&M (35) and Texas Tech (28 ?˝) round out the top five. The rest of the standings include Missouri (27), Iowa State (21 ?˝), Oklahoma (15), Texas (8), Oklahoma State (8), Baylor (2) and Colorado (2).
Missouri has scored 45 points amid five men?™s finals to lead the team scoring over Colorado (42), Nebraska (25), Texas Tech (20), Texas A&M (16) and Texas (13). The rest of the standings include Kansas (11), Kansas State (9), Iowa State (8) and Oklahoma (6).
Other Aggie results on day two of the conference meet included Nick Cook finishing 14th in the shot put (52-10 ?Ľ / 16.11) and Anteneshia Lindsey placing 15th in the women?™s shot put (45-0 ?˝ / 13.73). The long jump trio of Tyron Stewart (23-1 ?ľ / 7.05), Zuheir Sharif (23-1 ?ľ / 7.05) and Vincent Scillitani (22-11 ?Ľ / 6.99) placed 16-17-18.
Morquise Cleveland finished 12th in 400 qualifying with a 47.64. Dominique Stafford recorded times of 10.54 (12th) and 21.18 (11th). In the women?™s 200 Adeoti (23.62) finished 11th and Mayo (23.77) was 14th in qualifying.
In 1,500 meter qualifying Kevin Ondrasek finished 16th (4:00.73) while Wes Caceras was 22nd (4:10.17). Ondrasek also contested the 800 (1:59.30) and placed 18th in qualifying.