Bulldog Throwers Excel At Tiger Track Classic

AUBURN, Ala. --- Georgia track and field’s throwers led the charge at the Tiger Track Classic in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday as a majority of Georgia’s team members prepared for next weekend’s home meet.

Georgia was working with just a portion of both teams after many of the team members competed on Thursday night as the Bulldogs and the Georgia women swept Georgia Tech in a dual meet.

“We had some good things happen today, mainly in our throws,” said head coach Wayne Norton. “Rachel (Travis) had a near personal best in the hammer (on Friday) and then answered that with a personal best in the shot put today so I think she is getting better and better and is learning to beat potential scorers. I also thought Israel Machovec has come along well so far and has done a nice job of answering challenges. For us, it is very important that we get good weather to train in these next two weeks since we usually perform well at home.”

Junior Michelle Thompson won her third meet of the year in the javelin after her third of sixth throws traveled an NCAA regional qualifying 154 feet, 1 inch. Emily Sanders also scored for the Lady Bulldogs after taking third (132).

In the women’s shot put, sophomore Rachel Travis jumped up the Lady Bulldogs’ all-time top-10 list from No. 8 to No. 5 to take third place. Travis had a personal-best and regional qualifying mark of 48-11.75 on her second effort.

Junior Israel Machovec recorded the best throw of his career in the men’s discus to pick up another regional qualifying mark and take third place. Machovec’s sixth throw traveled 178-9 to only trail a pair of Kentucky throwers in the final standings.

Machovec also tallied a regional qualifying throw in the shot put after letting go of a career-best 55-11.25 throw. His second attempt was long enough to give him an eighth-place finish.

Two other Lady Bulldogs also had success in the throws during the team’s fourth meet of the year. Senior Josipa Jelicic had her second-best mark of the season after her fourth throw traveled a regional qualifying 155-10 for sixth place.

Finishing ninth in the discus was freshman Eve Machovec, who is Israel’s younger sister. Machovec waited until her third attempt to unleash a personal-best 145-8, which gives her the eighth-longest throw in school history.

Tiffany Trotman also completed the meet with a season-best mark after opening with a triple jump mark of 40-2. Despite ending the competition with five fouls, Trotman finished third for the Lady Bulldogs.

On Friday, Nate Rolfe won his third meet in the hammer after registering his fourth regional qualifying mark of the year.

Georgia hosts the Spec Towns National Team Invitational, as well as the Bulldog Heptathlon and Decathlon, on April 9-11 in Athens.

Full results and a recap from the Tiger Track Classic are located at georgiadogs.com.

University of Georgia Athletics

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