Senior Kearsten Peoples
NEW YORK, NY - Senior Kearsten Peoples landed herself in a familiar, if unexpected, spot during the final day of competition at the Armory Track Invitational, as she hit a nation-leading throw, and new school record, in the women's weight throw. She was one of several highlights out of Friday, including yet another Missouri School Record from LaQuisha Jackson, who now adds her name to the top of the record board for the 200m dash with her third-place finish of 23.90.
At the end of Saturday, the Tigers saw three new school record marks, three new All-Time Top Ten performances, and eight new PR's. This adds to the two school records, three All-Time Top Ten marks, and seven PR's from Friday, January 30.
"It is thrilling to watch so many story lines all at once! School records, sensational breakthroughs, long journeys back from injury, newcomers to the collegiate stage making statements. This was one of the more memorable weekends in my time at Missouri," Head Coach Brett Halter, currently in his 22nd year at Missouri, said. "I do not recall too many weekends in our storied history where our team has had such an impact on the national landscape. Our coaches are doing an amazing job preparing our athletes, our support staff is quietly filling in the gaps, and our athletes have remained engaged in our process. Our staff is just thrilled for all of the athletes."
FIELD EVENTS
Peoples, whose main event is the shot put, returned to the ring after a tough competition on Friday only to dominate the weight throw field, winning by over seven feet. Her final mark of 22.15m (72-8) eclipsed her previous record of 21.18m (69-6) and launched her to the top of the current SEC and NCAA rankings.
"I'm feeling so good. I've been working hard in practice, we've been touching on different technique points and I think I finally started to hit them today. I don't think I've quite used my full potential yet, so seeing over 70-foot throws gives me a lot of confidence heading into the rest of the season," Peoples said. "The fact that it's my senior year and I finally hit over 70-feet, I'm just happy. I couldn't hope for anything better."
The other field event record book performance of the day came out of the triple jump, where freshman John Warren continued to improve upon his PR with a first attempt mark of 15.62m (51-3). This puts him at No. 5 on Mizzou's All-Time list, just behind teammates Jonathan Ilori (No. 3) and Tony Carodine (No. 4). He closed the competition in third overall, followed by Carodine in fifth, and Ilori in sixth.
"John Warren was the number one high schooler in the nation last year, and today showed why," Carjay Lyles, assistant coach in charge of sprints/jumps/hurdles, said. "The upperclassmen take care of him like he's their little brother, and to see them all out there in the final within five inches of each other, that's the goal for those three at the National Championships. And for where we are in training, they're jumping incredibly. They are way ahead of pace."
In the men's weight throw, senior Brian Duncan finished third in a field that saw a new meet record, followed by sophomore Ahren Bohanan who threw his second PR of the season (17.96m / 58-11.25).
TRACK EVENTS
On the track, sophomore LaQuisha Jackson and junior Markesh Woodson returned to the track in the 60m dash finals. First for Jackson, though, was the 200m dash. She placed second in the preliminary round with a final time of 24.04, the No. 2 performance All-Time, only 0.03 seconds behind current school record holder - Mizzou legend and Olympic Silver Medalist, Natasha Kaiser-Brown.
"It motivates me, knowing what [Natasha Kaiser-Brown] has accomplished," Jackson said. "I was shocked because, going into that last race I was feeling so tired with the two 60m dashes yesterday and the 200m and 60m dashes earlier today. But, I spoke with Al Joyner on the phone and he told me 'don't try to make it happen, let it happen,' and I really liked that."
Jackson went on to eclipse that record in the finals, placing second overall with a final time of 23.90. This puts her in the top ten of the current SEC rankings, and top 20 in the NCAA.
She returned after the 200m dash prelims to place second in the 60m dash finals with a time of 6.34. Woodson ran a season's best 6.65 in the men's race for third. Both will move up in the SEC and NCAA rankings after their performances this weekend, landing in the top five of the current SEC rankings and the top 10 in the current NCAA rankings.
"It was a great day for this group. This was LaQuisha's first big meet in probably three years, and so for her to have a good weekend with back-to-back competitive days, I am really happy," Lyles said. "Markesh executed some of the things we've been working on in practice. He let it go a little during the last five to seven meters, which may have cost him the race and a new school record. But, for January and for where we are in training, we couldn't ask for more."
Moving up to the mile, junior Liz Reida continued her return to the indoor track after sitting out last year, moving ever closer to the tenth-fastest mile time in school history with her fourth-place performance on Saturday. She crossed with a new PR of 4:49.00, a five-second improvement on her previous best time from last weekend.
Finishing out the distance events was freshman Karissa Schweizer, who toed the line for her first 3000m run in the black and gold. Schweizer battled just off the shoulder of the leader throughout the race, crossing in second with a final time of 9:25.31. She now sits at No. 4 on the All-Time Top Ten list for the event, is No. 2 in the current SEC rankings, and is in the top 15 of the current NCAA rankings.
"Our process orientation of effort, focus, choice, and team will remain the same as we now move into February. We will use the next three weeks fo sharpen our focus for Championship season," Halter said.
The Tigers will take a break from travel next week, returning home for the Tiger Invitational on Friday, February 6, in the Hearnes Fieldhouse. For the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MIZ_TrackField.
RESULTS - SATURDAY
60m Dash Final, Women - 2. LaQuisha Jackson, 6.34
60m Dash Final, Men - 3. Markesh Woodson, 6.65
200m Dash, Women - 3. LaQuisha Jackson, 24.04 #2
200m Dash, Men - 30. Kwadarrius Smith, 22.52
Mile Run, Women - 4. Liz Reida, 4:49.00 | 10. Teylar Adelsberger, 5:00.14 | 14. Madison Waymire, 5:04.17
Mile Run, Men - 6. Sam Dickerson, 4:08.42 | 11. Will Crocker, 4:14.79
3000m Run, Women - 2. Karissa Schweizer, 9:25.31 #4 | 16. Megan Cunningham, 9:47.83 | 24. Courtney Brown, 9:56.65
3000m Run, Men - 12. T.J. Carey, 8:20.17 | 21. Chandler Dye, 8:29.52
Triple Jump, Women - 35. Danielle Williams, 10.84m (35-6.75)
Triple Jump, Men - 3. John Warren, 15.62m (51-3) #5 | 5. Tony Carodine, 15.51m (50-10.75) | 6. Jonathan Ilori, 15.47m (50-9.25) | 26. Thomas Taylor, 14.26m (46-9.50)
Weight Throw, Women - 1. Kearsten Peoples, 22.15m (72-8) SR
Weight Throw, Men - 3. Brian Duncan, 19.27m (63-2.75) | 9. Ahren Bohanan, 17.96m (58-11.25)
TIGER RESULTS - FRIDAY
60m Dash, Women - 1. LaQuisha Jackson, 7.31q (7.33p) SR | 39. Alyssa Felton, 7.81
60m Dash, Men - 6. Markesh Woodson, 6.68q
400m Dash, Women - 17. Ayo Adewole, 56.42
400m Dash, Men - 8. Jerrad Mason, 48.52
1000m Run, Men - 22. Ben Goodman, 2:29.46 | 31. Cain Winebrenner, 2:32.18
5000m Run, Women - 3. Kaitlyn Fischer, 16:48.00
5000m Run, Men - 6. Dan Roe, 14:36.40
60m Hurdles, Women - 15. Alyssa Felton, 8.64 (8.63p) #5
60m Hurdles, Men - 19. Ser Whitaker, 8.21 (8.31p) #3 | 25. Kyle Smith, 8.32
Distance Medley, Men - 1. (Dickerson, Smith, Crocker, Carey), 10:00.42
Long Jump, Men - 35. Ser Whitaker, 6.69m (21-11.50)
High Jump, Women - 8. Morgan Whitson, 1.73m (5-8)
High Jump, Men - 13. Mitch Hatten, 2.04m (6-8.25)
Pole Vault, Women - 2. Alyssa Applebee, 3.85m (12-7.50) | 9. Maggie Givens, 3.50m (11-5.75)
Shot Put, Women - 1. Jill Rushin, 17.07m (56-0) #2 | 6. Kearsten Peoples, 15.08m (49-5.75)