University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Track & Field Experiences ?Spectacular Weekend?
February 10, 2007 | Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --- According to Georgia’s head track and field coach Wayne Norton, his teams had their “most spectacular weekend in my 17 years at Georgia” at the Tyson Invitational and the Tiger Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
At the Tyson meet in Fayetteville, Ark., senior distance runner Ian Burrell shattered a pair of school records to lead the Bulldogs. After knocking former Southeastern Conference champion Simon Ngata out of the No. 1 spot in the 5000 meters on Friday, Burrell clocked a 7:59.04 (the first sub-8:00 time at Georgia) in the 3000 to break Georgia’s record on Saturday.
Not to be outdone at the Tiger Invitational in Clemson, S.C., sophomore Levern Spencer and senior Patricia Sylvester, who both own Georgia jumping records, each cleared 6 feet, 2 inches in the high jump to tie Spencer’s indoor school record, earn NCAA automatic qualifying marks and take first and second, respectively, at the meet. In addition, Sylvester soared 20-5 in the long jump on Friday to notch another personal-best effort for the weekend.
“I made a note to myself tonight that I thought this was the most spectacular weekend in my 17 years at Georgia,” said Norton. “It is not surprising because when you accomplish something you work for so hard all year long, you hope the finishes are the teams’ expectations. But all things are beginning to flow in the direction that we needed them to and I am extremely proud of our teams’ effort. Since we do not have an indoor facility to practice in, we will never be that good early. With the finishes this weekend, I think we now have a chance to be a decent team at the SEC Championships.”
Following Saturday’s action, Norton had trouble singling out all of the breakout performances.
“Burrell’s two records along made this weekend significant and Patty and Levern’s marks in the high jump were just as outstanding,” said Norton. “I think Natalie Picchetti showed what she was capable in the mile and 800, Kristin Heffelfinger had a tremendous meet, Jill Steffens is proving she is even tougher than last year and Sarah Madebach had a nice (personal best) in the 3000. I also thought Shaka Dennison’s personal-best time in the 60 hurdles will be a great springboard for her before SECs and that David Dickens and Justin Gaymon had strong finishes in the 400.”
Picchetti, who clocked the second-fastest time in school history and picked up an NCAA provisional time in the mile on Friday night, ignited Georgia’s distance corps for the second day in a row on Saturday. Picchetti finished 800 meters in 2:09.90 for sixth place in Fayetteville, which was the fifth-fastest mark in the Georgia record books and less than a second away from a provisional time.
Steffens also represented the Lady Bulldog distance runners and won the 3000 (9:40.92), as Madebach clocked a personal-best 9:46.92 to take fourth.
Also in Clemson, Dennison finished the finals of the 60-meter hurdles in 8.40, which tied the third-best time in the Lady Bulldog record books.
On the men’s side, senior Sam Gillespie finished fourth in the 3000 (8:25.91) and freshman Caleb Vogt, who notched the seventh-quickest mark in school history in the 5000 on Friday, took 10th with a time of 8:37.48.
Also breaking into the top 10 in their events were sophomore Nate Rolfe, who finished fourth in the weight throw (63-9.75), and John Freeman, who battled for a ninth-place finish in Fayetteville.
In the 60 hurdles, sophomore Keelan Knox sped to a fifth-place finish with a time of 8.13, which is the seventh-fastest time in the Georgia record books.
In the 200, freshman Gordon Ritchie-Haughton clocked a personal-best time of 22.45 to take sixth and in the 400, Ritchie-Haughton finished 10th. Also, sophomore John Eagan tied his personal-best effort in the pole vault (15-1) to tie for second place.
Another personal best in Clemson came for sophomore Josh Bagley in the high jump. Bagley cleared 6-7.50 to win the event as senior Greg Mays tied for third and freshman Daniel Averso came away with a fifth-place finish.
Full results and a recap of the Tyson Invitational as well as the Tiger Invitational can be found at georgiadogs.com.
