April 26, 2007
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Missouri track and field team opened competition at the 98th Drake Relays on Wednesday in Des Moines. On Thursday, the two-day women's heptathlon was completed and Mizzou was well represented taking second, third, and fourth in the event, with all three gaining overall personal bests despite cold and rainy conditions over the past 48 hours.
Junior Kaela Rorvig (Columbia, Mo. / Hickman HS) placed second with 4,914 points, an 89-point improvement from her previous personal best set at the 2006 Big 12 Championships. Rorvig helped her cause by gaining bests in two of the seven events, clocking a heavily wind-aided 14.22 in the 100-meter hurdles and a 25.08 in the 200-meter dash.
Freshman Lindsey Boldt (Mt. Pleasant, Iowa) has a fantastic homecoming, placing third in the event, scoring 4,767 points. Boldt's score was a 150-point improvement from her previous best set two weeks ago and a 550-point improvement from her first competitive heptathlon a month ago. Boldt set new bests in five of the seven disciplines. Among her bests was a 131 foot, 7 inch (38.40m) marking in the javelin, adding six foot to her old PR set a week ago at the Kansas Relays. Boldt also had a personal best in the long jump on day two to add to all-time bests in the 100-meter hurdles (15.31), high jump (5-3¾), and 200-meter dash (26.61) set yesterday. Boldt's high jump tied for the best among the collegiate ranks, and her shot put mark was the best of the field.
"I was very happy with my performance the last two days," said Boldt. "My goal was to P-R overall, so no complaints there. My first meet a few weeks ago was a little shaky, so this is quite a big step-up form there. I just wanted to finish in the top six, but to place third as a freshman at the Drake Relays is pretty awesome. With a lot of my family here, I was a little nervous, but the support really helped me get through two days of tough conditions."
Boldt was a six-time Iowa high-school champion and a seven-time Drake Relays placewinner in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles.
Freshman Lauren Begany (Fenton, Mo.) also had a an impressive two days, scoring 4,646 points to place fourth, gaining 144 points on her previous overall best. Begany had personal bests in the 200-meter dash (25.61), the long jump (17-9¾), and the 800-meter run (2:25.85). With her clocking in the 800, Begany went from seventh to fourth in the final standings.
With a favorable weather forecast, the remainder of the Drake Relays which will take place Friday and Saturday could see some phenomenal performances. Several Tigers will compete in many open and relay events over the next days in front of another expected sell-out crowd.
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