Missouri
SEC Indoor Championships
Prodanov Wins SEC Title, Mizzou Track & Field Concludes SEC Championships
2/29/2020 9:11:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field
Martin Prodanov gains ground over final 200 meters to win the Men’s Mile
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Mizzou Track & Field concluded the 2020 Indoor SEC Championships by totaling one SEC title, three total medals and a new school record. Sophomore Martin Prodanov (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) came from behind over the last 200 meters of the men's mile to win the SEC title, Mizzou's first in the event on the men's side since joining the conference. As a team, the Mizzou men finished seventh overall and totaled 43 team points while the women came in 10th with 24.5 points.
NOTABLE FINISHES
Prodanov used a strong kick to chase down the leaders of the men's mile during the final 200 meters. Prodanov snatched the lead with less than 20 meters remaining and earned his first SEC title and the Mizzou Men's first since Ja'Mari Ward won the men's long jump at the 2019 SEC Outdoor Championships last spring.
Sophomore Arianna Fisher (San Jose, Calif.) set a new program record in the women's triple jump, reaching a mark of 13.25m (43-5.75). This accomplishment edged out teammate Mirieli Santos' mark of 13.21m that she set at last years' SEC Indoor Championships. Fisher's record-setting performance, which topped her previous PR by nearly a foot, earned her a fourth-place finish. Freshman Euphenie Andre (Dover Plains, New York) also set a personal best in the event, jumping a mark of 12.72m (41-8.75) in her first appearance at the SEC Championships.
Redshirt junior Jordan McClendon (Black Jack, Mo.) earned herself a place on the podium for the second year in a row in the weight throw. Her mark of 20.98m (68-10) was enough to secure her a third-place finish and All-SEC honors. On the men's side, senior Patrick Kunza (Wentzville, Mo.) secured a point for the Tigers by finishing eighth with a mark of 18.74m (61-5.75) in the weight throw.
Redshirt senior Thomas George (Gloucester, England) earned his second silver medal of the weekend by finishing second in the 3000m run with a time of 8:11.04.
Mizzou Tigers also scored points on both sides of the high jump, with senior Karissa Roman (Kewanee, Ill.) and sophomore Roberto Vilches (Mexico City, Mexico) both finishing in the top ten. Vilches finished in fifth place with a mark of 2.11m (6-11), and Roman finished seventh, reaching a mark of 1.72m (5-7.25).
QUOTABLES
Brett Halter, Head Coach… "I just thought it was a really good weekend for the Tigers. If you were able to watch it online or sit in the stadium, you know the kinds of efforts that the kids put forward this weekend. That's all we could ever ask. They just went to task and trusted their work, that's what we've been asking them to do all season- step in, step up. And they did that and had remarkable results."
"I thought that everyone handled themselves very well. They'll carry with them a lot of lessons learned. We'll continue to add to that competition armor and that mental armor as we move forward. We'll celebrate and we'll get settled into Columbia and then it's back to work on Monday, the process continues."
Martin Prodanov, SEC Champion, Men's Mile… "I knew it was going to be a technical race. I knew it was going to be slow in the first four or six laps and then go out hard. I expected all of that. I felt comfortable and I was sitting on the back of the group until the last 200 meters and then I made my move. I was just thinking about racing. When I kicked, I had a boost and a feeling with 100 meters to go, that I knew I was going to get them. At some point, I just knew I was going to be first."
UP NEXT
A group of Tigers will prepare for NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico in two weeks. Events in Albuquerque are scheduled to begin on Friday, March 13 and carry into Saturday, March 14. The rest of the team will begin the transition to outdoor season, with the first outdoor meets of the season scheduled for Friday, March 20. The Tigers are scheduled to travel split squads to both the SIUE Invitational in Edwardsville, Ill. and the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Arizona.
For all the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.comand follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram(MizzouTFXC)
DAY TWO RESULTS - TRACK EVENTS
Mile Run, Men - 1. Martin Prodanov, 4:14.92
3000m Run, Men - 2. Thomas George, 8:11.04 // 9. Kieran Wood, 8:15.35 // 23. Victor Mugeche, 8:25.71 // 29. Marquette Wilhite, 8:28.34
3000m Run, Women - 7. Sarah Chapman, 9:25.79 // 11. Melissa Menghini, 9:34.90 // 29. Ginger Murnieks, 9:51.83 // 33. Tori Findley, 9:54.56 // 38. Isabelle Christiansen, 9:57.57
4x400m Relay, Men - 9. Brunsman, Clarke, Hays, Ashford, 3:14.67
DAY ONE RESULTS - FIELD EVENTS
High Jump, Men - 5. Roberto Vilches, 2.11m (6-11)
High Jump, Women - 7. Karissa Roman, 1.72m (5-7.75)
Weight Throw, Men - 8. Patrick Kunza, 18.74m (61-5.75)
Triple Jump, Women - 4. Arianna Fisher, 13.25m (43-5.75), PR #1 // 9. Euphenie Andre, 12.72m (41-8.75) PR// 11. Mara Hausler, 12.36m (40-6.75)
Weight Throw, Women - 3. Jordan McClendon, 20.98m (68-10) // 12. Sydney Oberdiek, 18.65m (61-2.25) // 15. CeCe Johnson, 18.42m (60-5.25)
DAY ONE RESULTS - MULTI EVENTS
Heptathlon, Men– 11. Jason Edwards, 4861 points
60m Hurdles - 8.87, (775 points)
Pole Vault - 4.65m (15-3) (804 points)
1000m Run - 3:15.63 (519 points)
Players Mentioned
