University of Georgia Athletics
Dickens Leads Georgia At Yellow Jacket Invitational
April 01, 2007 | Track & Field
Dickens crossed the finish line in a personal-best 46.14 to notch an NCAA regional qualifying time and was the first collegiate finisher (third overall). In addition to Dickens' regional time, Georgia left Atlanta with 19 regional qualifying marks or times during the teams' third outdoor meet of the season.
"We had a very strong showing at this weekend's meet and kept to our tradition of having success on Georgia Tech's track," said Georgia assistant coach Jon Stuart. "The sprinters and hurdlers had a particularly outstanding performance and our throwers continued their dominance. I feel like we followed up the Alabama Relays last weekend with another great performance and if we keep going like this, we should do well at the conference meet."
Dickens, whose 400 time is the nation's fourth-best collegiate time this year, was also a leg on the Bulldog 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams which picked up regional times. While the Marietta, Ga., native teamed with sophomore Jarrell Stewart, senior Brian Etelman and sophomore Michael Proctor to take second in the 4x100 (39.69), Dickens, along with sophomore Justin Gaymon, Proctor and freshman Gordon Ritchie-Haughton, registered the sixth-best time in the Georgia record books in the 4x400 after crossing the finish line in 3:06.39 to take second.
Gaymon also stole the headlines on Saturday after notching the second-fastest time in school history in the 400 hurdles (49.75) and taking second behind former Bulldog All-American LaRon Bennett, who finished in 49.59. Gaymon also was the second collegiate finisher (fourth overall) in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.07.
Two more members on the men's relay teams also tallied individual regional times on Georgia Tech's track Saturday. Etelman clocked a season-best 21.01 to take sixth in the 200 and Stewart walked away with an eighth-place finish in the same event with yet another regional time for the Bulldogs (21.17).
On the mid-distance side, junior Natalie Picchetti won a pair of events and also recorded a regional qualifying time. The 2007 indoor All-American finished the 1500 with a regional qualifying time of 4:26.28 and she won the 800 with a time of 2:10.19, which improved her No. 10 spot in the school record books.
In the men's 800, junior Ross Ridgewell, a native of Mullumbimby, Australia, battled for his first regional time (1:49.72) of his career and took second in the event. Ridgewell's time was the sixth fastest in Bulldog history.
After shattering the school record in the high jump at the Alabama Relays last weekend, junior Levern Spencer picked up another win at the Yellow Jacket meet. Spencer soared over the bar at 6-1.25 to cruise to first place and a regional mark.
Tallying another regional mark for the Georgia women was sophomore Josipa Jelicic. Jelicic topped 10 competitors in the event to take second with a throw of 159-1. For the men, sophomore Nate Rolfe came away with his second regional mark of the meet after winning the discus with an effort of 181-1.
Another win for the Georgia women came from junior Sigrun Fjeldsted. Fjeldsted recorded a regional qualifying and season-best mark of 160-7 in the javelin during the second event on Saturday morning. The Lady Bulldogs' three- time Southeastern Conference champion in the javelin - senior Krista Woodward - did not compete this weekend.
In the men's shot put, Helf finished second by only 2 inches with a regional mark of 59-10.50, which is his third regional qualifier in as many attempts.
Several other Georgia distance and mid-distance runners also finished in the top five in their events as well. Junior Sarah Madebach, who broke the school steeplechase record last weekend, finished behind Picchetti in the 1500 for second place (4:31.78) and both senior Sam Gillespie and junior Kiah Vernon crossed the finish line in fourth place in the 5000 with times of 14:49.51 and 17:45.57, respectively.
Freshman David Scheidt ended up in third place in the javelin with an effort of 174-8 and freshman Geno Atkins took a break from spring football practice with the Bulldogs to take fifth in the shot put with a season-best mark (52-8.75). In addition, freshman Daniel Averso cleared 6-6.75 to tie for third in the high jump.
Results and a full recap can be found at georgiadogs.com.
Georgia's Winners
Sigrun Fjeldsted Javelin (160 feet, 7 inches)
Natalie Picchetti 1500-meter run (4:26.28)
Picchetti 800 (2:10.19)
Levern Spencer High jump (6-1.25)
Nate Rolfe Discus (181-1)
Georgia's NCAA Regional Qualifiers
Sigrun Fjeldsted (javelin)
Levern Spencer (high jump)
Nate Rolfe (hammer)
Rolfe (discus)
Kyle Helf (hammer)
Helf (shot put)
John Freeman (hammer)
David Scheidt (hammer)
4x100 (Stewart, Dickens, Etelman, Proctor)
Natalie Picchetti (1500-meter run)
Justin Gaymon (110-meter hurdles)
Gaymon (400-meter hurdles)
Keelan Knox (400-meter hurdles)
David Dickens (400-meter dash)
Josipa Jelicic (discus)
Ross Ridgewell (800-meter run) Brian Etelman (200-meter dash) Jarrell Stewart (200-meter dash) 4x400 (Gaymon, Proctor, Ritchie-Haughton, Dickens)
