Alabama
Joe Walker Invitational
Alabama Concludes Joe Walker Invite, Wins Trio of Event Titles
4/8/2023 8:27:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
The Crimson Tide won three separate events and picked up nine top-10 finishes on the final day of the event
OXFORD, Miss. – After securing its third event sweep of the season on Friday, the Alabama track and field program's momentum continued into Saturday as the Crimson Tide racked up three additional event titles, along with nine overall top-10 finishes on the final day of the Joe Walker Invite.
Alabama's women's shot put trio of Chelsea Igberaese, Cherisse Murray and Taylor Gorum opened the final day of the weekend meet with three top-10 finishes behind an event-win for Igberaese (16.12m | 52-10.75). Murray (15.83m | 51-11.25) and Gorum (14.53m | 47-8) finished third and ninth, respectively.
Before Igberaese's day was done, she would also record a second-place finish in the women's discus (52.91m | 173-7). The feat is now the eighth-farthest mark in school history.
On the men's side, Ala de Falchi also snagged a pair of top-10 finishes via an event title in the men's discus (56.42m | 185-1) and an eighth-place finish in the men's shot put (16.53m | 54-2.75).
Over on the track, the Crimson Tide would garner a trio of top-five finishes to round out the action in Oxford. In the men's 110-meter hurdles, Patrick Daves clocked a PR en route to his fourth-place finish. Antonio Crisco hit the track next, recording a third-place finish in the men's 400-meter dash before Clayton Elder concluded the meet for Alabama by winning the men's 400-meter hurdles. It's now the second consecutive week that a Crimson Tide student-athlete has won a meet's 400-meter hurdle event.
In total, Alabama would notch six event titles, 17 top-10 finishes and one event sweep while in Oxford, in addition to two different athletes adjusting UA's all-time top-10 lists.
Head Coach Dan Waters Said
"I'm very pleased with how we executed again this weekend – which speaks to how the staff prepared our student-athletes, making sure everyone remains ready for the next competition. Sweeping one event is an accomplishment in itself, but to have it happen again for the third-straight weekend, and in three different areas of our program, is remarkable. We also won a couple of events and set a number of PRs again this weekend. Overall, I'm proud of the effort we've shown. At the midway point of the season, it's important that we continue our momentum as we begin to approach the postseason."
Crimson Tide Top Finishes
- Chelsea Igberaese (first | 16.12m | 52-10.75), Cherisse Murray (third | 15.83m | 51-11.25) and Taylor Gorum (14.53m | 47-8) recorded three top-10 finishes in the women's shot put
- Igberaese picked up her second top-five finish of the day in the women's discus, throwing a 52.91-meter (173-7) mark to not only finish second in the event, but also move into UA's top-10 list at No. 8 all-time
- On the men's side, Alan de Falchi claimed the men's discus title (56.42m | 185-1) before also finishing eighth in the men's shot put (16.53m | 54-2.75)
- Patrick Daves clocked a PR-setting 14.34 to secure a fourth-place finish in the men's 110-meter hurdles
- Antonio Crisco finished third in the men's 400-meter dash (48.45)
- Clayton Elder became the second consecutive Alabama athlete to win a meet's 400-meter hurdle event after clocking 51.47
Up Next
- Alabama will split up next weekend, having representation at both the Mt. SAC Relays in California, as well as the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Fla.
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