Texas Tech University Athletics
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Texas Tech Open
Red Raiders Shine On Final Day Of Texas Tech Open
April 04, 2015 | Track and Field
April 4, 2014
Coupled with yesterday's events, Texas Tech took home 18 event titles this weekend.
Bradley Adkins started the day with a win in the men's high jump, clearing an outdoor collegiate-best 2.24m/7-4.0, and Viershanie Latham followed that with a second-place finish in the women's long jump (5.68m/18-7.75) and a win in the women's triple jump, leaping a collegiate-best 12.78m/41-11.25.
"I felt good and I was jumping well early," Adkins said. "I was disappointed that I didn't get that next bar, but it was still a good meet for me. After what JaCorian [Duffield] did last week, I knew it was time to go."
While that was taking place, Haley Cook won the women's pole vault, breaking the 13-feet barrier in the process. Her clearance of 3.98m/13-0.75 was an outdoor collegiate best. On the men's side, Kyle Thompson completed the event sweep, clearing 5.15m/16-10.75 to win.
On the track, the Tech hurdlers led the way once again. Chris Caldwell won the 110 meter hurdles once again, running a 13.63. He has yet to be defeated in that event this season. Le'Tristan Pledger completed the sweep with a win on the women's side, clocking a 13.16. In the 400 meter variety of the hurdles, JW Smith took the victory, with a time of 52.14, and he was followed by Darien Tennon (52.33), who took second.
Cierra White ran her first 200 meter dash of the outdoor season, and it had a similar feel to a lot of them she has run before--she crossed the finish line first. White's time of 22.94 ranks sixth on the Tech all-conditions, all-time list for the 200 meter dash.
"I love competing at home," White said. "I see a lot of familiar faces in the stands, and I just feel comfortable here. I'm happy with my time, but I know I have more. I'm just excited to see where the season goes from here."
In the men's 400 meter dash, Joseph Richards III won the event, clocking a 46.12. Steven Champlin (46.93) took second, and Kyle Collins (46.94) placed third to complete the 1-2-3 sweep.
"It was a little cold, so the conditions weren't the best, but I'll take my performance," Richards III said. "It always makes it a little more fun to go against Steven [Champlin] and Kyle [Collins] just because we run on the 4 x 400 meter relay together. It always adds excitement to the race."
On the women's side, Montenae Speight completed the 400 meters sweep, with a 53.00 to win the event.
In the 1,500 meters, Tech took four of the top five spots, led by Evans Tuitoek, who finished the race in 3:51.62. Hannah Carson followed up yesterday's javelin victory with a win in the women's shot put, throwing 14.19m/46-06.75. Carson also won the women's discus, with a throw of 49.61m/162-09, and Kole Weldon finished the sweep in that event with a win on the men's side. His best throw went 59.39m/194-10.
After a rain delay spanning one hour and 35 minutes, Kory Mauritsen won the men's 5,000 meters, with a collegiate-best time of 15:47.86, and Tuitoek won the 2,000 meter steeplechase, finishing in 6:01.83.
"I just always love competing at home," Texas Tech head coach Wes Kittley said. "We were coming off a great performance at the Texas Relays, and we have another big meet in a couple weeks, so I saw this as something equivalent to a midweek home baseball game. We got to compete in front of our fans, and we put up some of the marks we were looking for. I was really pleased with our effort."
Texas Tech track & field will be back in action next Saturday, April 11, at the Wes Kittley Invitational, in Abilene, Texas.
Players Mentioned
