April 30, 2005
DES MOINES, Iowa - In front of another sold-out crowd of 18,000, the Missouri Track and Field team completed competition at the 96th Drake Relays on Saturday. Key distances relays once again had a solid day for the Tigers with impressive results from their youth. Several Tiger post-collegians competed today as well with Christian Cantwell taking second in the men's shot put.
Cantwell finished runner-up to Reese Hoffa in the men's special invitational shot put, throwing his season best on his final throw of 68-9¾ (20.97m). Cantwell initially took the lead on his second toss, going 68-6 (20.88m). Hoffa responded on his fifth throw, marking 68-10½ (20.99m), his best. Cantwell came so close to topping on his last throw, but missed by just two centimeters.
"I felt pretty good in warms up today, almost normal" Cantwell said. "On the last throw, I felt I pushed it a little too easy and it sailed a little left."
Amazingly the Relays record of 69-6½ (21.20m) set back in 1972 still stands, and will be one of the lasting ghosts of the old stadium, which will go under renovations including those to the shot put sector this year in ready time for the 2006 Drake Relays.
"I can't wait until USAs are here (if they will), with this crowd and this atmosphere, I'm sure some big records will go down one day here," Cantwell added.
In the men's special invitational 800-meter run, Tiger post-collegians Timothy Dunne and Derrick Peterson finished third and fourth in the race, respectively. Dunne ran in 1:48.36 - Peterson right behind at 1:48.69. Dunne improves from his fourth-place showing a year ago.
The Tiger men's distance medley relay took third overall in their race, clocking 9:43.53, the best for a Tiger team at the Drake Relays since 1973. Sophomore Tipper O'Brien ran the lead-off leg in 2:58.6 for 1200 meters, putting the team in third. Sophomore Jimmie Jones sped through the scene, running a 47.8, 400-meter split to put the Tigers in second. Another sophomore, Marcus Mayes took the baton for the 800-meter leg, running the best of his life in 1:48.6. Senior Ryan Hampton kept the pace, running a 4:08.2 closing 1600-meter leg.
The women's 4x800-meter relay team placed fourth with two freshman, clocking a blazing time of 8:40.75, the second-best all-time at Mizzou. Transfer Nicole Johnson led off the relay, handing to junior All-American Ashley Patten. Patten's split of 2:05.4 was an amazing feat in the unmerciful wind for the Tigers' second leg. Freshmen Kasey Kimball and Trisa Nickoley ran the final two legs to give the Tigers their finish. Nickoley ran a 2:09.0 for her final leg.
Junior Amanda Bales ran against a stacked field in the women's special invitational 1500-meter run. Bales ran in 4:22.90 to take the fifth-place overall spot and recorded the best time for a collegian in the race.
Tiger heptathlon post-collegian Fiona Asigbee tied for third in the women's special invitational high jump, clearing 5-9¾ (1.77m)
For complete results, visit drakerelays.com.
Friday's Omissions
With the flurry of events in play, we forgot to mention some of the great performances from Friday. Tiger senior Jill Petersen placed fourth in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase, running 10:34.46. Her time bettered her NCAA regional qualifying time, topping her previous personal best by nine seconds. Petersen also moves to second all-time at Missouri in the event.
Sophomore Melanie Uher placed fifth in the women's discus against an unfavorable wind. Her best throw of the day measured 162-9 (49.61m).