Batson, Airola and Deuel at Crimson Tide Invite

Hakansson's UA Record in Hammer Highlights Day at Crimson Tide Invite
Alabama Men 2nd, Women 4th at Crimson Tide Invite.

Yanique Yanique Malcolm produced the third-best 800 performance in Alabama history.

April 6, 2013

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -Alabama athletes won seven individual events and one relay while setting one school record and posting several performances that rank among UA's all-time top 10 lists on Saturday at the Crimson Tide Invitational at the Sam Bailey Track Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

The Tide men placed second in the team standings with 117 points while the Alabama women were fourth with 80 in final standings. Nebraska men (149) & Penn St. women (115.5) won team titles.

"We had a solid day overall," said UA head coach Dan Waters. "We had some good individual performances and I was pleased with how we competed and produced today."

Freshman thrower Elias Hakansson broke the school record in the men's hammer throw for the second time in the 2013 season with a throw of 211 feet, 3 inches (64.39 meters) on the way to a victory in the event. Hakansson outdistanced Missouri's Brian Duncan (201-3/61.34m) and Missouri's Jacob Bullinger (197-3/60.12m) while Alabama's Charodd Richardson was fourth at 187-1 (57.03m). Charond Richardson of Alabama was seventh with a throw of 174-2 (53.09m).

Hakansson's record throw came on his second attempt of the competition. He compiled legal throws on all five attempts before passing on a sixth throw. All five of Hakansson's throws on Saturday exceeded 200 feet/62 meters and four of the five attempts were better than 210-0 (64.01m), the distance of Hakansson's previous school record set on March 22 at the John Mitchell Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa.

"He had a consistent series but we were hoping for even better distance, but you can never complain about a school record," said UA assistant coach Doug Reynolds, the Tide's throws coach.

In the women's 800 meters, Yanique Malcolm produced the third-best 800 performance in Alabama history as she won the race in 2:05.32. That exceptional outing bettered runner-up Alena Brooks of Minnesota (2:05.82) and Marta Klebe of Penn State (2:07.32).

Pole vaulter Alexis Paine continued her dominance in the women's pole vault with a clearance of 13-5 3/4 (4.10m) to win the event. That mark ranks third on the all-time UA list for the women's pole vault and she owns the three best marks in UA history after breaking her school record last week at Georgia Tech.

Paine's win continued the Tide women's assault on the all-time UA pole vault list. Autumn Conn's fourth-place finish in 12-2 1/2 ranks seventh on the all-time UA list while Reed Hancock and Anna Rawles both cleared 11-2 1/2 to join the list at 10th in UA history.

Alabama took a victory in the men's 4x100-meter relay with the fourth-best time in Crimson Tide history. The quartet of Alex Sanders, Diondre Batson, Akeem Haynes, Dushane Farrier rounded the track in 39.17 seconds to defeat Nebraska (40.80) and Penn State (41.04).

Sprinter Diondre Batson won the men's 200 in 20.61, a time that ranks seventh on the all-time UA outdoor list. He beat veteran adidas sprinter Mookie Salaam (20.82), Mississippi State's Tavaris Tate (21.08) and Penn State's Aaron Nadolsky (21.45). Tide freshman James Harrington was fifth in 21.52.

Crimson Tide freshman Robbie Farnham-Rose continued an impressive start to his outdoor season with a victory in the men's 1,500 meters. Farnham-Rose, of Great Britain, finished in 3:47.55 well ahead of Matt Airola, who was running unattached and finished in 3:49.19. Nebraska's Trevor Vidlak was third in 3:49.37 with Penn State's Casimir Loxsom fourth in 3:49.67. Alabama's Austin Duckworth was seventh (3:57.52), Alabama's Gil Walton was eighth (3:58.3) and the Crimson Tide's Justin Ahalt was 12th in 4:09.53.

Alabama sprinters took the first two spots in the men's 100 with Akeem Haynes winning the race in 10.46 seconds while Alex Sanders was second in 10.58. Sarah Thomas was second in the women's 100 for Alabama in a time of 12.02, just .04 behind event winner Mara Weekes of Nebraska (11.98).

Krystle Schade won the women's high jump, her first victory of the outdoor season, clearing 5 feet, 10 3/4 inches (1.80m). to defeat Nebraska's Killanna Scanlan (5-7/1.70m) and Marusa Cernjul (5-7/1.70m).

Justin Fondren matched the winning height in the men's high jump, clearing 7 feet, 1/4 of an inch (2.14m) but finished second to Penn State's Sean Reilly on misses.

Crimson Tide Invitational
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Sam Bailey Track & Field Stadium
Tuscaloosa, Ala.


Final Team Standings
MEN
1. Nebraska 149; 2. Alabama 117; 3. Penn State 107; 4. Mississippi State 92; 5. Missouri 81.

WOMEN
1. Penn State 115.5; 2. Nebraska 108.5; 3. Minnesota 102.5; 4. Alabama 80; 5. Missouri 73; 6. Mississippi State 72.5.

Alabama Results

MEN

100 - 1. Akeem Haynes, 10.46; 2. Alex Sanders, 10.58.
200 - 1. Diondre Batson, 20.61; 5. James Harrington, 21.52.
400 - 5. Dwight Davis, 47.44; 7. Joel Lynch, 47.72.
800 - 7. Ken Taylor, 1:49.95; 12. Andrew Harris, 1:53.82; 13. Alex Jenkins, 1:54.05; 14. Alex LoPresti, 1:54.16.
1,500 - 1. Robbie Farnham-Rose, 3:47.55; 7. Austin Duckworth, 3:57.52; 8. Gil Walton, 3:58.31; 12. Justin Ahalt; 4:09.53.
3,000 Steeplechase - 3. Parker Deuel, 9:10.80; 5. Matt Joyner, 9:26.15; 6. Eric Sivill, 9:58.01.
4x100 Relay - 1. Alabama (Alex Sanders, Diondre Batson, Akeem Haynes, Dushane Farrier), 39.17.
4x400 Relay - 2. Alabama (Joel Lynch, Dwight Davis, Quincy Smith, Ken Taylor), 3:07.75.
Long Jump - 3. Imani Brown, 23-2 (7.06m); 6. Nathan Vardaman, 22-10 (6.96m); 10. Josh McCullan, 21-0 (6.40m).
Triple Jump - 3. Imani Brown, 49-6 1/4 (15.09m); 4. George Freiberger, 48-2 (14.68m).
High Jump - 2. Justin Fondren, 7-0 1/4 (2.14m).
Hammer - 1. Elias Hakansson, 211-3 (64.39m); 4. Charodd Richardson, 187-1 (57.03m); 7. Charond Richardson, 174-2 (53.09m).
Discus - 7. Taber Wanstall, 156-5 47.68m).
Pole Vault - t7. Jonathan Stiegler, 14-11 (4.55m); DNP - Connor Foxworth, NH.

WOMEN

100 - 2. Sarah Thomas, 12.02.
200 - 4. Sarah Thomas, 24.53.
400 - 4. Joy Maneice-Marbury, 56.48; 5. Dacia Mays, 56.95.
800 - 1. Yanique Malcolm, 2:05.32; 6. Kimberley Ficenec, 2:10.02; 10. Aubrielle Wright, 2:12.93.
1,500 - 5. Meropi Panagiotou, 4:29.39; 13. Susie Kemper, 4:38.12; 14. Katelyn Greenleaf, 4:38.52.
3,000 Steeplechase - 3. Rebecca Stover, 10:48.27.
100 High Hurdles - 5. Lacey Dent, 14.00.
400 Hurdles - 4. Shani Chandler, 1:00.65.
4x400 Relay - 5. Alabama (Joy Maneice-Marbury, Dacia Mays, Yanique Malcolm, Aubrielle Wright), 3:43.89.
Long Jump - 4. Callie Ives, 19-8 (5.99m); 9. Lacey Dent, 18-9 1/4 (5.72m).
Triple Jump - 4. Callie Ives, 38-5 1/2 (11.72m).
High Jump - 1. Krystle Schade, 5-10 3/4 (1.80m).
Hammer - 6. Lee Stowers, 177-11 (54.23m); 15. Nia Barnes, 151-9 (46.25m).
Shot Put - 5. Wilamena Hopkins, 50-4 1/2 (15.35m).
Pole Vault - 1. Alexis Paine, 13-5 3/4 (4.10m); 4. Autumn Conn, 12-2 1/2 (3.72m); 10. Reed Hancock, 11-2 1/2 (3.42m); 11. Anna Rawles, 11-2 1.2 (3.42m).

Airola, Matt Distances 5
JR Altaville, Calif. (American River College)

Batson, Diondre Sprints 3
SO Sacramento, Calif. (American River College)


Deuel, Parker Cross Country/Distance 1
FR Alamo, Calif. (San Ramon Valley)

Courtesy Alabama