one of the best NCAAs in recent memory!

[gh]

wow! what a blowout few days that was.

Friday night was about as enjoyable an evening of track (and field!) I can recall in a long time. I was so adrenalized when I got back to my room I couldn't fall asleep forever.

And today was probably better, but the problem with a live-TV format is the shotgunning of the events. Don't even have time to dissect races in their most elemental form before the next one goes off. And forget about trying to pay much attention to the field events. Fortunately, those are few in number.

Not sure who left the biggest impression on me overall. Top candidates would probably be Ronnie Ash and Will Claye. German Fernandez not far behind. (Barringer would be there except I watched her mile at Pre last week so she was already in the pantheon)

[guruof track]

Re: one of the best NCAAs in recent memory!

wow! what a blowout few days that was.

Friday night was about as enjoyable an evening of track (and field!) I can recall in a long time. I was so adrenalized when I got back to my room I couldn't fall asleep forever.

And today was probably better, but the problem with a live-TV format is the shotgunning of the events. Don't even have time to dissect races in their most elemental form before the next one goes off. And forget about trying to pay much attention to the field events. Fortunately, those are few in number.

Not sure who left the biggest impression on me overall. Top candidates would probably be Ronnie Ash and Will Claye. German Fernandez not far behind. (Barringer would be there except I watched her mile at Pre last week so she was already in the pantheon)

Barringer excluded, the athlete of the meet has to be Will Claye, that jump was ridiculous!!!!!! Ron Ash was close second!!!!

[tandfman]

Speaking of remarkable triple jumps, Kim Williams's last jump was amazing, and only slightly wind-aided.

[richxx87]

Claye Claims NCAA Title on Birthday

Freshman becomes OU 13th outdoor national champion; Cole breaks program record in 400.
June 13, 2009
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Oklahoma freshman Will Claye gave himself the best birthday present he’s ever received on Saturday: An NCAA title in the triple jump. Jumping on his 18th birthday,...

http://www.soonersports.com/sports/c-tr ... 09aaa.html

He came out of HS early (like Griffin did last year). While the rest of his 12th-grade classmates at Mountain Pointe HS are going to their prom and commencement ceremonies back in Arizona, Will is winning the NCAA.

Are we witnessing the next great one?

[donley2]

No props for Porscha Lucas? I thought her 22.38 in prelims went almost completely unnoticed and unremarked upon (in the stands that is).

[lonewolf]

[
He came out of HS early (like Griffin did last year). While the rest of his 12th-grade classmates at Mountain Pointe HS are going to their prom and commencement ceremonies back in Arizona, Will is winning the NCAA.

Are we witnessing the next great one?

Actually Claye went home for his HS prom the week before MidWest Regional, got sick and won MW TJ under wraps. Did not make finals in MW LJ but advanced to NCAA on season best 8.06. Claye's third round 7.89 at NCAA was bumped to 10th and he missed final by 4 cm when Gordon (NE) improved from 7.78 to 7.99 on final jump..
Can't win 'em all..
Yes, we are witnessing the next great TJer.

[gh]

I thought I read on an earlier thread--maybe not--that he was "slow"; he looked anything but to me. And he's split so delightfully high. And omigosh the best of all, he was 17 when the meeet started!

I can only assume that in high school he didn't triple jump; he "hop, stepped & jumped" with a step of about 2 feet!

[Tilaoy]

UCLA Gone Forever?

I think one of the biggest shocks of the meet was UCLA not scoring a single point on the men's side.From being the powerhouse of the 70's and 80's to a complete non-factor on the national scene brings up a lot of questions about happenings down in Westwood.

[gh]

'60s powerhouse as well

[lonewolf]

I thought I read on an earlier thread--maybe not--that he was "slow"; he looked anything but to me. And he's split so delightfully high. And omigosh the best of all, he was 17 when the meeet started!

I can only assume that in high school he didn't triple jump; he "hop, stepped & jumped" with a step of about 2 feet!

He steps a little further than that now but it is still impressive that by staying low he finishes witha 22-23 foor jump phase.

have never heard a 100m time for Claye . He is a litlle loosey-goosey coming down the runway but he doesn't look slow.

[gh]

Claye also PRed in the long jump and in the process recorded the farthest legal-mark ever for 9th (in the NCAA meet itself).

[lonewolf]

I don't have Clayes record on hand or memorized but I have worked about seven or eight of his meets and I am fairly certain he has had longer jumps, maybe they were windy.

[ndamix]

Definitely one of the best NCAA Champs:

Florida State blowing out Baylor in their signature event; Texas A&M burning a collegiate/meet record in the 4 x 1; Alex Anderson of Texas winning the big one; LSU's Trindon Holliday showing why he's the fastest man on the track & the gridiron; Jonathan Borlee (and his twin) living up to their billing both individually & collectively; Will Claye in the TJ; Ashton Eaton in the decathlon; Kim Williams sweeping both the horizontal jumps and the fact that if the Texas A&M men had finished 3rd in the 4 x 4, we would've seen a 4-way tie for the national title (were their enough trophies on hand for that?).

Great way to close out the collegiate season.

[tandfman]

I don't have Clayes record on hand or memorized but I have worked about seven or eight of his meets and I am fairly certain he has had longer jumps, maybe they were windy.

He jumped longer only in Norman in April but his jump of 8.00 (26-3) was very windy (+4.5).

[richxx87]

Re: UCLA Gone Forever?

I think one of the biggest shocks of the meet was UCLA not scoring a single point on the men's side.From being the powerhouse of the 70's and 80's to a complete non-factor on the national scene brings up a lot of questions about happenings down in Westwood.

As I posted in another thread, you have to go back to 1954 for the last time that they scored ZERO points. What is happening in Westwood is -- at least among TF fans -- is a lot of weeping, gnashing of teeth and beating of chests.
But odd as it may sound, the future looks very bright with with some NCAA-scoring redshirts returning; a top recruiting class (10.3 & 20.9 sprinter, 136-ft & 71-ft thrower, among others); and all their young NCAA-qualifying jumpers and vaulters coming back. I think they get top 5 next year. Nonetheless, this year was a friggin' train wreck of historic proportions.