Alabama
SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Alabama Men Surge to Lead after Day 1 of the SEC Track & Field Championships
5/11/2018 11:40:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Kiprop, Chelanga and Kigen finish 1-2-3 in the men’s 10,000 meters to cap the day
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Alabama's Vincent Kiprop, Alfred Chelanga and Gilbert Kigen swept the top three spots in the men's 10,000 meters to give the Crimson Tide the lead in the team race after Day 1 of the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Tom Black Track in Knoxville, Tenn.
Kiprop crossed the finish line first in 29:16.64 with Chelanga finishing second in 29:17.30 and Kigen third in 29:19.20. The win by Kiprop is the second in a row for the Tide in the event at the SEC meet. Chelanga won the 10,000-meter title at the 2017 championships at South Carolina.
The 1-2-3 finish is also the second all-conference event sweep by the Crimson Tide at the SEC Championships in the last three seasons. Alabama's Daniel Haugh, Kord Ferguson and Joe Williams took the top three spots in the men's discus at the 2016 SEC Championships in Tuscaloosa.
"We were picked to finish 1-2-3 in the men's 10,000 so we held serve," Alabama head coach Dan Waters said. "That's an accomplishment. To score 24 points in any event at the SECs is pretty amazing stuff. It was nerve-wracking because that's what we were expected to do but getting the job done was crucial for our team total."
In the only other men's final involving the Tide on Friday, Junior Daniel Haugh earned All-SEC honors for the fourth time in his career with a third place finish in the men's hammer throw at 237-11 (72.52m). The effort ranks No. 2 in school history behind his two-week-old school record of 241-2 (73.50m) set on April 28 at LSU. The Marietta, Ga., native also had two other throws in the competition on Friday that rank among the top-10 in UA history and now owns seven of the ten best throws all-time at Alabama.
Haugh has earned all-conference honors in the hammer throw outdoors and weight throw indoors this season. He is the Alabama school record-holder in both events.
"We had a great performance today," Waters added. "We advanced people in both 200 meter races and the women's 400-meter hurdles, scored great points in the 10,000 meters, Daniel Haugh did a great job in the men's hammer and Danielle McConnell did the same in the women's hammer."
The finishes by Kiprop, Chelanga, Kigen and Haugh put Alabama in first place in the men's team standings with 30 points. Mississippi State is second with 16 points, followed by Florida (15), Arkansas (13) and Auburn (11) to round out the top five.
Freshman McKenzie Yanek finished second in the women's 10,000 meters in 35:03.33 to become the first Tide woman to earn All-SEC honors in the event since Betty Rotich in 2008. The race was just the third 10,000-meter competition of Yanek's collegiate career. She recorded the No. 4 time in school history in her last outing at Stanford's Cardinal Classic on April 20, crossing the finish line in 33:58.14.
"McKenzie just did such a great job," Waters said. "She just ran that the hard way. It kind of broke open and she fell back a little bit but she stayed with it and kept believing in herself, kept moving through and closed with some really fast laps to finish second. She had focus, commitment and determination all the way through. Coach (Adam) Tribble has done a great job with her."
In the only other women's final on Friday, senior Danielle McConnell finished sixth in the hammer throw with a mark of 190-2 (57.97m).
The Tide women ended Day 1 in third place in the team standings with 11 points. Ole Miss and Missouri are tied for first with 15 points, followed by Alabama, Tennessee (10 points) and Mississippi State (8 points) to round out the top five.
In women's preliminary action, freshman Tamara Clark advanced to the final of the 200 meters with a heat-winning time of 22.80, the fifth-fastest time in school history. Senior Kaitlin Walker finished sixth in the prelims of the 400-meter hurdles in 58.54 to advance to Sunday's final. The time is the 10th-fastest in school history.
In the lone men's preliminary for Alabama on Friday, junior Keitavious Walter won his heat in the 200 meters and posted the fourth-fastest time overall at 20.56 to advance to Sunday's final. Sophomore Alize Ford finished 15th in 20.94 and did not advance.
Alabama will begin Day 2 of competition at the SEC Outdoor Championships at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday with freshman Tianah List in the final of the women's javelin and junior Kord Ferguson in the final of the men's shot put. Senior Ruebin Walters will be the first Tide runner on the track when he competes in the prelims of the men's 110-meter hurdles at 5:50 p.m. CT.
Men's Event Summaries – SEC Championships Day 1
Finals
Javelin – Junior Will Edwards competed in the javelin but did not record a mark.
Alabama Series
Will Edwards – Foul; Foul; Foul
Hammer Throw – Junior Daniel Haugh earned All-SEC honors for the fourth time in his career with a third place finish in the hammer throw at 237-11 (72.52m). The effort ranks No. 2 in school history behind his two-week-old school record of 241-2 (73.50m) set on April 28 at LSU. The Marietta, Ga., native also had two other throws in Friday's competition that rank among the top-10 in UA history and now owns seven of the ten best throws all-time at Alabama.
Alabama Series
Haugh – 218-4 (66.55m); 234-1 (71.35m); 233-8 (71.23m); 237-11 (72.52m); Foul; Foul
10,000 Meters – Alabama junior Vincent Kiprop, senior Alfred Chelanga and junior Gilbert Kigen swept the top three spots in the men's 10,000 meters with Kiprop crossing the finish line first in 29:16.64 with Chelanga finishing second in 29:17.30 and Kigen third in 29:19.20. The win by Kiprop is the second in a row for the Tide in the event at the SEC meet. Chelanga won the 10,000-meter title at the 2017 championships at South Carolina.
Prelims
200 Meters – In the lone men's prelim for Alabama on Friday, junior Keitavious Walter won his heat in the 200 meters and posted the fourth-fastest time overall at 20.56 to advance to Sunday's final. Sophomore Alize Ford finished 15th in 20.94 and did not advance.
Women's Event Summaries – SEC Championships Day 1
Finals
Hammer Throw – Senior Danielle McConnell finished sixth in the hammer throw with a mark of 190-2 (57.97m).
Alabama Series
McConnell – 186-0 (56.69m); 179-6 (54.72m); 173-1 (52.76m); 180-4 (54.98m); 190-2 (57.97m); 185-4 (56.60m)
10,000 Meters – Freshman McKenzie Yanek finished second in the women's 10,000 meters in 35:03.33 to become the first Tide woman to earn All-SEC honors in the event since Betty Rotich in 2008. The race was just the third 10,000-meter competition of Yanek's collegiate career. She recorded the No. 4 time in school history in her last outing at Stanford's Cardinal Classic on April 20, crossing the finish line in 33:58.14.
Prelims
200 Meters – Freshman Tamara Clark advanced to the final of the 200 meters with a heat-winning time of 22.80, the fifth-fastest time in school history. Fellow freshman Daija Lampkin finished 12th overall in a personal best 23.11, which ranks no. 10 all-time at Alabama, but did not advance to the final.
400-Meter Hurdles – Senior Kaitlin Walker finished sixth in the prelims of the 400-meter hurdles in 58.54 to advance to Sunday's final.
SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Friday, May 11, 2018
Knoxville, Tenn. (University of Tennessee)
Men
Team Scoring
1. ALABAMA- 30
2. Mississippi State- 16
3. Florida- 15
4. Arkansas- 13
5. Auburn- 11
Finals
10,000 Meters – 1. Vincent Kiprop, 29:16.64; 2. Alfred Chelanga, 29:17.30; 3. Gilbert Kigen, 29:19.20; DNF. J.P. Brinyark,; DNF. Conner Thompson
Hammer Throw – 3. Daniel Haugh, 237-11 (72.52m)
Javelin – NM. Will Edwards
Prelims
200 Meters – 4. Keitavious Walter, 20.56 (Q); 15. Alize Ford, 20.94
Women
Team Scoring
T-1. Ole Miss- 15
T-1. Missouri- 15
3. ALABAMA- 11
4. Tennessee- 10
5. Mississippi State- 8
Finals
10,000 Meters – 2. McKenzie Yanek, 35:03.33; 12. Kaitlin York, 37:22.34 (PB)
Hammer Throw – 6. Danielle McConnell, 190-2 (57.97m)
Prelims
200 Meters – 3. Tamara Clark, 22.80 (Q); 12. Daija Lampkin, 23.11 (PB); 17. Symone Darius, 23.60
400-Meter Hurdles – 6. Kaitlin Walker, 58.54 (q)
Alabama Superlatives
School Top-10 Performances
Men
Hammer Throw – 2. Daniel Haugh, 237-11 (72.52m)
Hammer Throw – 5. Daniel Haugh, 234-1 (71.35m)
Hammer Throw – 6. Daniel Haugh, 233-8 (71.23m)
Women
200 Meters – 5. Tamara Clark, 22.80
200 Meters – 10. Daija Lampkin, 23.11
400-Meter Hurdles – 10. Kaitlin Walker, 58.54
Personal Bests
Women
200 Meters – Daija Lampkin, 23.11
10,000 Meters – Kaitlin York, 37:22.34
PB – Personal Best
PSB – Personal Season Best
TSB – Team Season Best
SR – School Record
MR – Meet Record
FR – Facility Record
NM – No mark
NH – No height
DNF – Did not finish
DNS – Did not start
Q – Qualified for final with heat finish
q – Qualified for final with heat time
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Players Mentioned
