Singh Wins Big 12 Weight Throw Title

Singh Wins Big 12 Weight Throw Title
Salaam breaks 12-year old OU record as 16 Sooners qualify for Saturday finals.

Feb. 26, 2010

AMES, Iowa — One week after breaking his own program record in the weight throw, K.P. Singh (Clovis, CA/Fresno City College took another step in claiming status as one of the top throwers in Oklahoma history with a Big 12 title in the men’s weight throw Friday in the first of two days at the Big 12 Championships.

While Singh and Kevin Schwab, who finished second in the 5,000-meter run, were standing atop the awards podium, 16 other OU athletes qualified for Saturday finals including sophomore Mookie Salaam who broke a 12-year old program record in the 200-meter dash. In the last event of the night, the men’s distance medley relay gave OU its third podium finish with a third-place finish.

Singh easily won the event with a top throw of 68-11.25 (21.01), just off his school record of 69-0.00 (21.03), outdistancing the rest of the field by over two feet. Singh led from wire-to-wire as he tossed the implement a distance of 67-9.00 (20.66) on his first throw before recording the winning throw on his second attempt. Singh’s win gives OU its first ever conference title in the weight throw and first Big 12 indoor title by a thrower since Kevin Bookout’s shot put title in 2007.

“I felt alright tonight. I was hoping for the NCAA automatic mark, but I’ll take the win,” said Singh. “I opened really well, it was where I was hoping to open at. After that, I started trying a little too hard and ended up with a couple of fouls.”

Just after Singh’s final throw landed in the throws area, Salaam made news on the track as he broke Shomari Wilson’s 12-year old program record of 20.99 with a time of 20.92 to qualify for Saturday’s finals. Salaam’s NCAA provisional qualifying time is the sixth fastest in the nation as the sophomore from Edmond, Okla., native broke out of the 300-meter track’s curve to easily win his heat.

“I was really relaxed and remained concentrated during the race because I’m doing this for the team,” said Salaam. “I’m happy that everything is starting to come together. I kind of felt pressure, but I’m not going to crumble. I love this, especially in a team atmosphere. Coach (Matt) Kane told me to make sure I kept my legs under me on the curve and I could use that momentum for the straightaway. It’s all about race strategy and it worked.”

Salaam also recorded a PR in the 60-meter dash, clocking a time of 6.68 to win the event’s first heat and capture the No. 1 seed for the event’s finals. Salaam’s NCAA provisional qualifying time is the fourth fastest in program history.

Schwab and Jeremy Sudbury combined to give the Oklahoma men 11 points in the men’s 5,000-meter run as Schwab recorded the second-fastest 5K time in OU history, crossing the line in second in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 14:09.20. Sudbury, finishing sixth, also placed his name in the OU record books with the sixth-fastest time in program history, a time of 14:17.03.

The long jump provided the Oklahoma women seven points as Ti’Anca Mock and Jasmine Simmons both recorded NCAA provisional qualifying marks to finish fourth and seventh, respectively. Mock, the 2009 Big 12 champion in the event, equaled her season best with a jump of 20-4.50 (6.21) while Simmons recorded the fifth-best jump in program history, 20-1.50 (6.13).

The quartet of Molly Ferguson, Jalesa Walker, Natalie Crain and Lauren Watson teamed to finish fourth in the women’s distance medley relay. The four put together a time of 11:33.87, the 10th-best effort in program history.

The men’s distance medley relay closed out the night with a third-place finish in a time of 9:43.36. Eric Harasyn, Remuro Henry, Scott Cooper and Jacob Boone teamed together for the sixth-fastest time in program history.

Latoya Greaves recorded OU’s first NCAA provisional qualifying mark of the day with a time of 8.27 in the women’s 60-meter hurdles. The time was just off Greaves’ season-best time of 8.26 and the third fastest in the event’s prelims.

Ronnie Ash and Malcolm Anderson followed Greaves on the track with NCAA provisional qualifying marks in the men’s 60-meter dash. The two qualified for the finals with identical times of 7.80, the fourth-fastest time of the prelims.

Like Salaam, Scottesha Miller continued her streak of PRs this season with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.32 in the prelims of the 60-meter dash to capture the No. 1 seed in tomorrow’s finals. With the third-fastest time in OU history, Miller will be joined in the finals of the event by Sherine Wells who ran the seventh-fastest time of 7.46.

Miller returned to the track three hours later and recorded her second NCAA provisional qualifying mark of the day with a time of 23.64 in the 200-meter dash to advance to the event’s finals. Miller earned the No. 4 seed in the finals of the event while Sherine Wells recorded a PR of 24.11, the 10th fastest time in OU history, to finish 10th in the event.

Marlena Wesh recorded the sixth fastest 400-meter dash in OU history to qualify for the finals of the event with a time of 54.38. Wesh’s NCAA provisional qualifying time was the fourth fastest in the prelims.

Chris Sweeney qualified for the finals of the men’s 800-meter run with his second-fastest time of the season, an NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 1:50.29.

Jacob Boone and Eric Harasyn each qualified for the finals of the men’s mile with second-place finishes in their respective heats. Boone had the second fastest time overall, 4:06.18, while Harasyn had the seventh fastest with a time of 4:11.95. The two entered the meet ranked first and second in the Big 12 in the event and still hold the distinction of the only two athletes in the conference to run a sub-four minute mile this season.

Jarell Warren and Zach Dawson each qualified as at-large competitors for the finals of the men’s 600-yard run. Dawson completed the race in a time of 1:10.25 while Warren was not far behind with a time of 1:10.47. The two make OU one of only two schools with multiple athletes in the final as Texas A&M placed two runners in the final as well.

The men’s 400-meter dash saw Eric Bailey and Remuro Henry clock PRs with Bailey running a time of 47.38 to qualify as the No. 7 seed in Saturday’s finals. Henry just missed advancing with a time of 47.72.

Alex Muntefering qualified for the finals of the men’s 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:27.03. Muntefering’s effort is the seventh-best mark in program history.

Saturday action begins at 11 a.m. with the 60-meter hurdles of men’s heptathlon.

Finals Qualifiers
Men’s Mile: Jacob Boone (4:06.18), Eric Harasyn (4:11.95)
Women’s 60-Meter Hurdles: Latoya Greaves (8.27*)
Men’s 60-Meter Hurdles: Ronnie Ash (7.80*), Malcolm Anderson (7.80*)
Women’s 60-Meter Dash: Scottesha Miller (7.32*), Sherine Wells (7.46)
Men’s 60-Meter Dash: Mookie Salaam (6.68*)
Men’s 600-Yard Run: Zach Dawson (1:10.25), Jarell Warren (1:10.47)
Women’s 400-Meter Dash: Marlena Wesh (54.38*)
Men’s 400-Meter Dash: Eric Bailey (47.38)
Men’s 1,000-Meter Run: Alex Muntefering (2:27.03)
Men’s 800-Meter Run: Chris Sweeney (1:50.29*)
Women’s 200-Meter Dash: Scottesha Miller (23.64*)
Men’s 200-Meter Dash: Mookie Salaam (20.92*)

Final Results
Men’s 5,000-Meter Run: 2. Kevin Schwab 14:09.20* 6. Jeremy Sudbury 14:17.03
Men’s Distance Medley Relay: 3. Eric Harasyn, Remuro Henry, Scott Cooper, Jacob Boone 9:43.36
Women’s Distance Medley Relay:4. Molly Ferguson, Jalesa Walker, Natalie Crain, Lauren Watson 11:33.87
Men’s Long Jump: 12. Neelon Greenwood 23-10.00 (7.26) 13. Alex Madkins 23-9.50 (7.25)
Women’s Long Jump: 4. Ti’Anca Mock 20-4.50 (6.21)* 7. Jasmine Simmons 20-1.50 (6.13)*
Men’s Pole Vault: 13. Jonathan Webb 15-11.75 (4.87)
Women’s Pole Vault: 12. Jacy Bennett 12-2.75 (3.73) 13. Sarah Pappas 12-2.75 (3.73)
Men’s Weight Throw: 1. K.P. Singh 68-11.25 (21.01)*
Women’s Pentathlon: 14. Claire McConnell 3,206

* NCAA Provisional Qualifying Mark
** NCAA Automatic Qualifying Mark

Courtesy Oklahoma