University of Missouri
DrakeRelays(O)
Bell Wins Two Events Friday at Drake Relays
4/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
April 26, 2002
Des Moines, Iowa -- Junior Russ Bell made it up to the Drake Relays champion stand twice Friday as he won the men's shot put title and won the men's discus competition for the second year in a row. He is only the 13th male performer to win both events in the same year in the Drake Relays' 93-year history.
"I think it's a huge honor to be a Drake Relays champion," assistant track coach Brett Halter said. "With all the people who come here, who are invited to be here, and to be a Drake Relays champion. I think that's an important competition for Russ. Looking at the history of the Drake Relays and the very beginnings of the Drake Relays...we have Drake Relays trophies from around 1910 so it really puts things in perspective of how big this thing is. This thing really is very special."
Bell earned his second and third Drake Relays Championships as he took the men's shot put title Friday afternoon in Des Moines, Iowa, throwing 62-5.25. Later in the day, Bell defended his Drake Relays title in the discus, winning with a throw of 181-5. Bell's teammate Christian Cantwell was second in the discus with a mark of 175-3.
"I threw within a few inches of my PR in the shot put on a bad day," Bell said. "My victory lap was enjoyable -- everyone was cheering and that was really fun. In the discus, I did think about defending the title. It was a horrible day with the temperature and the wind, but I came out alright."
Both Cantwell and Bell will participate in the men's invitational shot put tomorrow afternoon.
Sophomore Janae Strickland made Missouri history Friday when she finished in second place in the women's shot put with a Missouri outdoor record throw of 50-5.25. Her personal-best throw is a provisional-qualifying mark, her second of the 2002 outdoor season.
Sophomore Jennifer Bennett was fifth in the women's pole vault, clearing a height of 12-3.5 which ties her personal-best mark and ties the school outdoor record.
Freshman Jesse Sims performed well at his first Drake Relays appearance. The Paola, Kan., native took second place in the high jump as he cleared a height of 7-0.25.
The final day of the Drake Relays is tomorrow.
