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Athletes Shine at Final Day of Robison Invitational
BYU Invitational up next for Cougars.
April 28, 2003
PROVO, Utah - Having already qualified in the 800-meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase earlier this season (with the world's fastest time), sophomore Kassie Andersen looked to improve her qualifying time in the 800 on the final day of the Clarence Robison Invitational. Following Saturday's competition, mission accomplished. Andersen reeled in teammate Aneta Lemieza in the final 50 meters, and edged the freshman at the finish line to improve on her regional qualifying mark with a 2:08.10. Andersen now ranks in the top-25 in the nation in the 800 meters. Lemieza finished the race with a time of 2:08.18 and also qualified for the regional championships. Sophomore Jennifer Rockwell improved on her previous season-high, turning in a personal-best 59.87 to win the 400-meter hurdles. Rockwell also competed in the 100-meter for the first time in her career this weekend, finishing second on Saturday with a time of 11.98. "I thought we had some exceptional performances this weekend," head women's coach Craig Poole said. "Coming off finals week, and all the stresses these kids have with their final exams, I'm very pleased with the performances. "I was pleased with Kassie and Aneta's performance in the 800-meters. That was a great race, and an exceptional finish. I was very pleased with Jennifer Rockwell's performance in the 400-hurdles, as well as her first performance in the 100-meters." Junior Missy Wood outdistanced the field of 29 competitors in the women's javelin, turning in a winning mark of 46.03 meters. "Missy did really, really well in the javelin," Poole said. "She's all of a sudden really come on and has thrown about as well as she has all year. She really had a big, competitive effort."
In the women's 100-meter hurdles, junior Miriam Fisher improved on her season-best time with a time of 14.44 to take second place behind Nevada's Allison Sewell (13.99). Fisher suffered what was originally thought to be a career-ending injury in February. However, according to Poole, Fisher started running just two weeks later.
"It is wonderful to she Miriam out here competing and doing well," Poole said. "Back in February, we thought we had lost her to a career-ending hamstring injury. Two weeks later she was back on the track. Now, we don't know what happened, but we do know that miracles do exist." Other event winners for the Cougars included junior Lindsey Metcalf in the high jump (1.73 meters), and sophomore Lindsey Sommer, who won the triple jump with a distance of 11.89 meters. In men's action, the Cougars took the top four places in the 1,500-meters, led by Clarence Robison's grandson, and son of head coach Mark Robison, Nathan Robison. The younger Robison turned in a 3:50.49 to win the event, followed by Bryan Lindsay (3:52.58), Steve Barrus (3:54.36) and Matt Adams (3:56.06). In the 100-meters, former NCAA champion Leonard Myles-Mills won the event in a time of 10.24. Sophomore Nate Soleberg finished second in a time of 10.63. Fellow Cougar Paul Smith came in third in a time of 10.73. Sophomore Cody Fonnesbeck, who finished second in Friday's prelims with a time of 10.47, finished fifth in a time of 10.78. Smith also finished second in the 200 meters (21.54) behind former BYU sprinter Kish Beverley (21.50). Fonnesbeck finished fourth in a time of 21.75. Junior Matt Rowe finished fifth in a time of 21.93, followed by Soleberg who finished seventh in a time of 22.44. In the 400-meter hurdles, senior Greg Flint won the event with a season-best time of 50.33. Russell Elggren also improved on his previous mark, finishing third with a time of 52.01. Freshman Ben Gardner chipped time of his season-best, finishing fourth in a time of 52.03. Junior Kansas Whitear finished fifth in a time of 53.01. In the 110-meter hurdles, Elggren won event with regional qualifying time of 14.36. Daymon Visser improved on his season-best performance, finishing third with a time of 14.76. In the pole vault, freshman Robbie Pratt came up short of setting the BYU record, however won the event at a height of 5.35 meters. Senior Mark Barry finished second with a vault of 5.20. Both the BYU men's and women's track and field teams will return to action next weekend at the annual BYU Invitational. The scored meet will feature four different collegiate track teams, as well as several high school teams from Utah. The meet will be held on Friday and Saturday at the BYU Track & Field Complex. |
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