Missouri
Missouri Relays
Tigers Complete Missouri Relays
3/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
March 27, 2010
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou track and field program claimed 13 event titles as it wrapped up the 11th annual Missouri Relays at the Audrey J. Walton Track & Field Complex on Saturday (March 27), completing its first weekend of outdoor competition. The Tigers had plenty of notable performances on the day, specifically in the middle-distance and throws events.
Laura Roxberg (Overland Park, Kan.) was the first of the event winners on the day as she led a group of 1,500m runners that claimed five of the top six spots in the race. Roxberg clocked in at 4:39.68 while freshman teammate Bailey Belvis (Prosper, Texas) finished just behind her 4:41.01. Esther Vermue (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) also turned in a fine time in the race, clocking in at 4:41.22 to finish third overall. Kaitie Vanatta (Littleton, Colo.) and Aimee Bonte (Fenton, Mo.) finished fifth and sixth with times of 4:50.68 and 4:55.09, respectively.
The Tiger dominance in the middle distance events continued in the 800m run as Mizzou filled the top four spots in the event as Layne Moore (Emporia, Kan.) led the way with a 2:12.66 clocking. Ellen Ries (Ryan, Iowa) placed second with a 2:16.97 clocking while Katie Nelson (Normal, Ill.) finished in 2:17.53, placing third overall. Chelsea Chrisman (Eureka, Mo.) earned fourth in the race at 2:18.87 while Laura Brown (Ozark, Mo.) placed sixth at 2:23.83. The Tigers' 4x800m relay also claimed the event title with a time of 9:22.06 to round out a fine day for the middle-distance runners.
Leslie Farmer (Jefferson City, Mo.) highlighted the women's day on the short track as she claimed the 400m hurdle title at 1:01.04, just off of her school-record pace of 1:00.44. Clifton Leake (Dallas, Texas) was the Tigers' top finisher in the event on the men's side, posting a time of 53.04.
The women were equally as impressive in the discus throw as Mizzou throwers occupied the top three spots in the event, highlighted by Megan Collins (Lee's Summit, Mo.) who was just shy of her personal-best mark of 47.34m (155-4). Katie Evans (Powersville, Mo.) was second in the event after turning in a throw of 44.28m (145-3) while Katie Vanarsdall (Buckner, Mo.) was third at 43.48m (142-8).
The throwers kept things going in the shot put as Evans finished as the top collegiate finisher in the event with a throw of 14.69m (48-2 ½) while former Tiger and current volunteer assistant Krishna Lee took top honors in the event with a throw of 15.06m (49-5). Laura Greenfield (Liberty, Mo.), Cortni Ervin (Marshall, Mo.) and Vanarsdall rounded out the top five for Mizzou in the event as they swept the top five spots.
Ryan Blackwell (Fenton, Mo.) was the Tigers' first event winner on the track for the men as he claimed the 400m dash title with a time of 48.36. In fact, Tiger runners claimed the first three spots in the event as Tyrell Everett (Wichita, Kan.) and Ricky West (Scarborough, Ontario) took second and third with times of 49.10 and 49.41, respectively. Blake Irwin (Bettendorf, Iowa) was also an event winner on the day after running a time of 1:53.78 in the 800m run, nearly three seconds ahead of the next-best competitor.
The throwers on the men's side followed suit and impressed in the shot put as senior Andy Oaker (Steelville, Mo.) won the event with a toss of 16.93m (55-6 ½). Patrick Fitzgerald (Eagleville, Mo.) was second overall after coming in at 15.66m (51-4 ½) while freshman Brooks Mosier (Lee's Summit, Mo.), who is fresh off of All-Big 12 honors during the indoor season, finished third at 15.38m (50-5 ½).
The men also had a fine showing in the discus, led by Jacob Bullinger (Jackson, Mo.) who turned in a throw of 48.34m (158-7). Mosier, Tim Opfer (Higginsville, Mo.), Lars Rise (Trondheim, Norway) and Oaker all placed second through fifth in the event, respectively.
The Tiger high jumpers also had a fine showing on the men's side as Daniel Hunter (Hallsville, Mo.) led the group with a third-place finish with a jump of 2.00m (6-6 ¾). Shawnte Middlebrook (Lee's Summit, Mo.) also claimed the women's triple jump title with a leap of 11.36m (37-3 ¼). Evan Scott (Oak Park, Ill.) was the men's top finisher in the event after jumping 12.49m (40-11 ¾).
The Tiger women kept things going in the pole vault as they swept the top three spots in the event, highlighted by freshman Heather Green (Jefferson City, Mo.) who won the event with a vault of 3.55m (11-7 ¾). Holly Stewart (Lee's Summit, Mo.) placed second at 3.25m (10-8) while Abbie Garlich (Greenwood, Mo.) was third at 3.10m (10-2).
The women's 4x400m relay team, comprised of Farmer, Moore, Lana Mims (Tulsa, Okla.) and Allyson Brown (Cordova, Texas), claimed the event title with a time of 3:47.21 while the men placed second 3:14.68.
On a side note, the Tigers also had a pair of runners compete at Stanford over the weekend and senior Tim Cornell (Columbia, Mo.) ran the sixth-best 5,000m run time in program history at 14:13.09 to earn fourth place overall. Phillip King (Columbia, Mo.) also competed at the meet and clocked a 10,000m run time of 29:42.39.
The Tigers will return to action next weekend as they play host to the Tom Botts Invitational at the Audrey J. Walton Track & Field Complex. For all the latest on Mizzou track and field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.
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Players Mentioned
