MU welcomed some of the nation’s best track and field stars last weekend at the 2013 Southeastern Conference outdoor track and field championships.
Sophomore Brian Duncan placed fifth overall in the men’s hammer throw Thursday with a mark of 203 feet, 2 inches. Duncan scored five team points for his efforts, which were the first team points the Tigers men’s team scored. Sophomore Ser Whitaker finished with five new personal records in the decathlon at the end of the day, and ended the day sitting fifth heading into day two of the competition. Whitaker finished his events on Friday at fourth overall.
During Friday’s session, senior Max Storms finished third in the men’s 10,000-meter run, which earned the Tiger men’s team a much needed six points. In the pits, seniors Cortni Ervin and Megan Collins placed sixth and eighth in the women’s hammer throw, earning a total of four points for the Tiger women.
Freshman short distance runner Markesh Woodson ran in his first 200-meter dash of the year on Friday, running a 21.10-second time. Woodson placed tenth in the preliminary round, leaving him on the outside looking in for Sunday’s 200-meter final.
“I’m still happy with the way I ran, I just need to relax more,” Woodson said Friday. “I feel confident going into tomorrow.”
On Saturday, Woodson would easily qualify for the 100-meter finals, and put himself in a great position for Sunday’s final.
Woodson also expressed how the weather had affected him during the race.
“It’s pretty cold outside right now, but the backwind sure helped,” he said.
The action and the temperature picked up during Saturday’s session, as a majority of events took place then and Sunday.
During day three of competition, the Tigers earned more all-SEC finishes than the previous days combined.
The day started with field events and continued with running events later. Senior Malcolm Pennix jumped 25 feet, 4 inches, which earned him an all-SEC fifth place finish in the men’s long jump. The jump earned the Missouri men’s team four points.
Sophomore Macauley Garton placed sixth in the men’s javelin with a throw of 213 feet, 5 inches, earning three points for the men’s team.
On the women’s side, sophomore Katrine Haarklau took third place in the pole vault. Haarklau cleared a height of 13 feet, 5.75 inches and contributed six points to the women’s team.
Sophomores Kearsten Peoples and Jill Rushin finished in scoring positions in the women’s discus throw. Rushin finished in seventh place with a toss of 161 feet, 5 inches and Peoples finished in second place with a throw of 177 feet, 4 inches. Combined, the two throwers earned a total of ten points for Missouri’s women’s team.
On the final day of competition, the weather was perfect, and there were close to perfect performances as well.
Kearsten Peoples showed the SEC field why the shot put is her strongest event. Peoples fended off the elite field and won the women’s shot put with a toss of 58 feet, 4.75 inches, earning Missouri’s women’s team ten points.
The sophomore is no stranger to conference titles. She won the Big 12 women’s shot put title last year as a freshman. Rushin also did exceptionally well in the shot put, finishing third and earning the women’s team six points.
Senior Laura Roxberg ran at home for the last time during the women’s 1500-meter run final, placing third and earning the team six more points with a time of 4:17.35. Senior Dan Quigley fought his way through the pack to finish fourth overall in the men’s 5000-meter run with a time of 13:58.68.
Woodson would finish his weekend on the medal stand by finishing third in the men’s 100-meter dash. The freshman ran a time of 10.18 seconds, and scored six more points for the Tigers.
After the dust cleared, Missouri’s men’s team finished tied for ninth overall with 37 points, while the women’s team finished sixth with 49 points.
The Tigers will have the weekend off in preparation for the first round of the NCAA Championships on May 23.
