Angelica Howard Claims SEC Title in Hammer Throw
5/15/2009 12:00:00 AM
May 15, 2009
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Alabama women's track and field team returned to competition at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday at James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track. The Crimson Tide left the track with a SEC Champion Friday night.
"Obviously, I'm real excited for Angelica, she's really come into her own this year and that's just after adding only one turn to her technique," head coach Sandy Fowler said. "It's always exciting when you get an SEC Champion and it's well deserved because she has worked so hard this year. We're both curious as to what will happen next year when we add a third turn."
After day one of the heptathlon, Taylor led the field by 117 points over 2008 SEC outdoor heptathlon champion Marrissa Harris of Mississippi State (2nd) and indoor SEC pentathlon champion Ashley Trimble from Kentucky (3rd). Robbs finished the first day in seventh place.
Taylor and Robbs finished 5-6 in the long jump with jumps of 18-6 1/2 and 18-2 3/4, respectively. Robbs' leap would have been a personal best by six inches, but she had a tailwind of 3.0, which is 1.0 higher than what is allowed for records.
Robbs came back in the javelin and won her second event of the competition (shot put) with a throw of 136-10 1/2. Taylor placed fifth with her throw of 95-4 3/4 relinquishing her lead and falling to third in the point standings.
In the 800m run, Taylor crossed the line in seventh with a time of 2:31.16, unfortunately too far behind the leaders to have a chance to win the elusive title.
Taylor and Robbs both set huge personal bests in overall points as well as qualifying provisionally for the NCAA Championships. Taylor scored 5,406 points and Robbs tallied 5,242 points to finish fourth and sixth, respectively. The Crimson Tide duo now sits at second and third in the heptathlon in school history. Etienne Chaplin of Arkansas won the title with an automatic NCAA qualifying point total of 5,594.
"Overall, Chealsea and Rachel both did great," head coach Sandy Fowler said. "They both had numerous personal bests within their events. With them both scoring provisional marks, I'm pretty sure that puts Chealsea in the national meet and she just missed the automatic qualifier (5,500) and Rachel is pretty solid on the list. Again, when you walk into a meet of this caliber and these kids do what they do, you can't be anything but proud of them."
Angelica Howard made history for the Crimson Tide Friday night by not only being the first outdoor SEC Champion since 2006, but the sophomore also became the first Alabama athlete to win a championship in the hammer throw. Howard advance to the finals in second place before spinning and releasing an impressive 195-10 heave to claim the title.
"Well, I was in third for a while and I just didn't really want to lose. I just knew that I had to get one out and I fouled two of them and Coach Fowler told me `last throw, best throw' so I did it," Howard said. "I know it only takes one throw to win so I just gave it my all on that one. "I was shaking and people were crying. It's surreal, it hasn't really hit me yet."
Talaya Owens advanced to Sunday's final in the 400m hurdles when she crossed the line with a time of 59.27, the third fastest time in the prelims.
After day two, Alabama sits in second place in the team standings with 18 points. No. 22 Arkansas leads the field with 31 points and Florida is third with 15 points.
"It has been a few years [since being at the top of the conference meet] and to go into the third day in second place should give the whole team confidence from everybody's individual events to supporting the team as a team," Fowler said.
The women will return to the oval on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST for the discus throw. The 1,500m will be the first running event for the ladies and is slated for a 6:15 p.m. EST start.
Players Mentioned
