Alabama
LSU Alumni Gold
Alabama Track and Field Breaks a Trio of School Records on Saturday
4/24/2021 9:36:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Mercy Chelangat, Tamara Clark and Robert Dunning all broke school records on Saturday
FAYTTEVILLE, Ark./BATON ROUGE, La. – Alabama track and field enjoyed a huge day at two different meets on Saturday, breaking a trio of school records.
In Fayetteville, Ark., at the John McDonnell Invitational, Mercy Chelangat absolutely destroyed the school record in the 5,000 meters, going 15:17.79, dropping nearly 35 seconds off the previous mark (15:51.85 by Esther Gitahi in 2019) on the way to the win. Her time ranks No. 1 in the nation this season and 25th in collegiate history, as well as 16th in the world this year. Amaris Tyynismaa also bettered the previous school in the 5,000 meters, taking second in the race with a 15:33.52, which ranks fourth nationally this season.
Esther Gitahi won the women's 1,500 meters by more than three seconds, posting a career-best time of 4:15.75, which ranks fifth all-time at Alabama.
In Baton Rouge, La., at the LSU Alumni Gold meet, Tamara Clark posted the top collegiate time in the nation with a school record time of 10.96, becoming the first UA woman under 11 seconds and tying the seventh best time in collegiate history. She bettered her own school record of 11.02 from 2018, and along with her 11.07 from earlier this season, gives her three of the five fastest 100-meter times in school history.
Robert Dunning won the 110-meter hurdles with an Alabama school and LSU stadium record of 13.28 bettering Ruebin Walters' 2017 record of 13:30. Dunning's 13.28 ranks him second in the nation this season. He also took fourth among collegians in the 400-meter hurdles after turning in a time of 50.45.
More Alabama Highlights at the LSU Alumni Gold
- Alexa Cruz finished second in the women's 5,000 meters after running an 18:05.42
- Scott Platek (15:55.36), Alex Mielke (16:22.18) and Mateo Barreto (16:47.72) finished second, third and fourth, respectively, in the men's 5,000 meters
- Chago Basso (53.73 meters) took second, Josiah Harry (51.43 meters) finished fifth and Harrison Dimick (49.28 meters) was eighth in the men's discus
- Natassha McDonald ran a 51.94 and Christal Mosley posted a 52.98, to finished third and sixth, respectively, in the 400 meters
- McDonald's 51.94 in the 400 meters is the second fastest time of her career and the eighth best in Alabama history
- Taylor Gorum (16.71 meters) finished third, Cherisse Murray (16.50 meters) was fourth and Nickolette Dunbar (16.37 meters) was fifth in the women's shot put
- Gorum's 16.71 meters effort in the shot put is a career-best mark
- Talaya Lewis, Tamara Clark, D'Jai Baker and Natassha McDonald combined to take third among collegiate squads in the 4x100-meter relay with a 44.06
- Christal Mosley, Tamara Clark, D'Jai Baker and Natassha McDonald combined to take fourth in a time of 3:31.33 in the 4x400-meter relay
- Taylor Gorum (49.75 meters) took fifth and Nickolette Dunbar (44.32 meters) finished eighth in the women's discus
- Kristoni Barnes (2:09.89), Margot Dooley (2:10.75) and Patricija Cirule (2:12.61) finished sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, in the women's 800 meters
- Keshun McGee finished seventh in the men's long jump with a leap of 7.02 meters
- Demetrius Jackson was seventh in the men's 200 meters after running a 20.96
- Grady Shiflet (1:53.12) was eighth and Mark Shannon (1:55.06) was 10th in the men's 800 meters
- Haley Wright (4:46.61) finished 10th in the women's 1,500 meters
More Alabama Highlight at the John McDonell Invitational
- Eliud Kipsang ran a career-best 13:39.67 to take third in the men's 5,000 meters, while Vincent Kiprop took fourth with a 13:40.11
- Kipsang's and Kiprop's times rank fourth and fifth, respectively, all-time at Alabama
- Leah Hanle posted a career-best 10:01.22 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to take second place, which improves her grasp on the Tide's second fastest time in the event
- Megan Patton took sixth in the 5,000 meters with a PR of 16:45.45
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