April 18, 2009

Results

Memphis Tiger Invitational Results pdf format

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis hosted the Memphis Tiger Invitational on Saturday, April 18. On their home turf, the Tigers took home thirteen event championships, broke a pair of school records, and broke several personal records as well. The meet was the first hosted at Murphy Track Complex in three years and the first that the University has hosted under head coach Kevin Robinson.

"The meet was an overwhelming success," said Robinson. "We were able to push the time of the meet and ran very efficiently. Fortunately the weather held off for us and we were able to record some very impressive times on our home track in front of our home crowd."

Junior LaBritney Horton set her personal record in the 100m dash taking home first-place honors with a time of 11.90 while teammate junior LaShundra Kershaw also set a personal record mark with a time of 12.17.In the 200m dash sophomore Deneen Kirk earned second place with a time of 24.91 and Kershaw set another personal record with a time of 24.95.

Junior Tayanna Simpson also had a career day with a personal best second place finish in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.94 and in the 400m hurdles, she broke the Memphis school record with a personal best time of 1:01.06 earning her the event title. In the women's pole vault, senior Whitney Bolton broke a school record of her own with a mark of 3.75m (12-03.50) earning her third-place.

"Anytime you break a school record, it is a tremendous honor," said Robinson. "They both had a phenomenal day and I am very proud of them."

In the women's long jump, the Lady Tigers swept the top three spots. Sophomore Deneen Kirk placed third with a personal best leap of 5.42m (17-09.50). Freshman Inger Anne Froysedal finished in second-place with a mark of 5.51m (18-01.00) and the event champion was freshman Kyosha Yarbrough who recorded a leap of 5.71m (18-09.00).

Senior Sivan Aballi recorded her fourth NCAA regional qualifying mark of the year in the shot put with a throw of 15.09m (49-06.25). Sophomore Marina Vojinovic took third with a mark of 13.97m (45-10.00) Junior Karmyn Clark earned fourth-place with a personal record toss of 13.94m (45-09.00). Sophomore Kristin Sundsteigen tied her personal best in the shot put with a throw of 13.88m (45-06.50) and sophomore Charlotte Abrahamsen recorded a 13.75m (45-01.50) toss which earned her sixth-place.

Sundsteigen also had a career day as she dominated the discus throw and set a personal record with a mark of 43.70m (143-04) and set a personal record in the hammer throw with a toss of 52.14m (171-01). Behind Sundsteigen, was junior Angela Wigley who recorded a personal record 50.40m (165-04) toss earning her second-place. Clark took home third with a personal record 47.98m (157-05). Freshman Alanna Owens finished in fourth-place with a personal record mark of 40.52m (132-11).

The top two spots in the women's javelin belonged to Memphis as Kirk shattered her personal best throw in the javelin by over 18 feet with a second-place mark of 33.19m (108-11). Froysedal set her personal best mark in the javelin with a winning throw of 40.16m (131-09).

Freshman Aaron Evans won the 800m dash with a personal best time of 1:52.13. Sophomore Guy Hudson also set a personal record with a fifth-place time of 1:53.70. Sophomore Edwin Kipkorir grabbed the 1500m run title with a time of 3:58.16

Freshman Robert Jackson won the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.36 which is just 0.06 seconds shy of an NCAA regional qualifying standard time. Sophomore Darius Anderson finished right behind his teammate in second-place and in a personal record time of 14.66.

"I hit the eighth hurdle," said Jackson following the race. "If I hadn't have don't that, I definitely would have qualified."

A Tiger who reached the NCAA regional standard for the first time in his career was sophomore Richard Lowe who won the 400m hurdles and set a personal record with a time of 51.55.

"I just credit our coaches for putting me in this spot and pushing me to be in the position that I am," said Richard Lowe. "Being at home really gave me some extra drive today. I just hope that I can stay consistent in the next few weeks leading up to conference."

The Memphis 4x400m relay team shaved 3.93 seconds off of its season best time earning second place with a time of 3:14.03.

Sophomore Aaron Whetstone took second in the long jump with a mark of 6.85m (22-05.75) and second in the triple jump with a mark of 14.06m (46-01.50).

Competing unattached, sophomore Knut Syversen surpassed 50 feet in the discus for the first time in his career with a winning mark of 16.15m (53-00.00). He also took second in the hammer throw with a season best mark of 55.02m (180-06).

Senior Christian McDonald was the final event champion for the Tigers in the javelin throw with a mark of 57.29m (187-11).

"This meet was great for our athletes," said Robinson. "We tried to make it as fun for everyone, coaches, athletes and fans as we could and I think we were able to create a solid product with our first try. Our hopes are that we can continue to host this meet and possibly another each year in the future."

The Memphis Tiger Invitational will be an annual event hosted by the University of Memphis. The Tigers have a week off before they head back to Oxford, Miss. for the Mississippi Open, hosted by Ole Miss on May 2.The 2009 C-USA Outdoor Championships are in Tulsa, Okla. on May 14-16.