Concordia's Dixson, Irwin Set Track Records at Willamette Invite
COMPLETE RESULTS
SALEM, Ore.—Concordia University shot putters Gabriella Dixson and Willy Irwin posted Charles Bowles Track records with wins at the Willamette Invitational on Saturday.
Dixson, the NAIA national runner-up in the shot put last season, set a season-best mark with a 48-4 3/4 (14.75m) heave on her fifth attempt of the day. Although shy of her career best by almost two feet, the distance easily set a season long while toppling the 1990 track record of 48-1 1/2 which was set by Willamette’s Carrie Pietig.
Irwin, meanwhile, dethroned Ken Patara’s 45-year old track record with a 62-8 (19.10m) launch. The 2013 Indoor national champion, Irwin upped his school record, a previous season best distance of 60-0 1/4, by nearly three feet. Patara held the previous track record with a 60-9 1/2 effort set in 1968 while competing for the Portland Track Club.
In addition to the two shot put titles, Dixson and Irwin also defeated the fields in the discus competition as Dixson was measured with a season-best 160-11 (49.09) and Irwin at a season-best 180-11 (55.14m).
Dixson’s discus throw placed the senior at No. 1 on the NAIA performance list while Irwin increased his national lead in the shot put on Saturday. The duo also hold the No. 2 NAIA ranking in the opposite events with Dixson settled in at second place on the shot put performance list and Irwin second in the discus.
Joining Dixson as an automatic qualifier to the NAIA national championships in the discus, senior Emily Redmayne-Titley connected on a season-best throw of 149-4 (45.53m) to place second overall and clear the ‘A’ standard.
Over at the hammer throw, Sharayah Kenady and Dixson placed second and third overall with Kenady landing at 184-8 (56.30m) and Dixson reaching a 178-5 (54.39m) to tally an NAIA ‘A’ qualifier in her third event. Emily Daly, competing for Shore AC, edged Kenady for the meet win with a 189-9 (57.85m).
Winning his third straight title to open the outdoor season, Bo Johnson continued his domination in the men’s hammer with a throw of 187-6 (57.15m), well ahead of the runner-up John Murray of Lewis & Clark (178-4). Johnson holds a season best of 193-5 which currently leads the NAIA by just over two feet.
Ethan Moore gave the Cavaliers its third double-winner on the day with victories in the triple jump and the high jump. An indoor All-American in the high jump, Moore was the lone entrant to clear the bar at 6-6 (1.98m) while his 45-3 (13.79m) distance in the triple jump came close to erasing his career best of 45-9 1/4.
On the track, the Cavaliers added two new automatic qualifiers, one provisional qualifier and one event winner on Saturday.
Beating Bowerman AC’s Kristin Rohde to the line, Linsie Michels flirted with a school record in the 1,500-meter run with a 4:29.09. Michels’ time shaved more than five seconds off her previous best of 4:34.36 at the distance and nearly eclipsed the school record of 4:28.36 which was set by Andria Scheese during the 2011 season. The time moved Michels into the No. 2 position on the NAIA performance chart behind defending national champion Hillary Holt (4.18.82) of The College of Idaho.
Moving up to the 5,000, Mikel Elliott and Sarha Whybark crossed back-to-back in 17:40.44 and 17:46.06 to dip under the ‘A’ standard of 17:46.30. The race was Elliott’s Concordia debut in the outdoor 5,000 and represents the No. 4 performance in school history. Whybark crossed just shy of her career best of 17:44.19, the No. 5 all-time mark by a Cavalier.
Jordan Reeher registered the lone new qualifier on the men’s side with a runner-up result in the 400-meter hurdles. Reeher, the eighth-place finisher at nationals last year as a freshman to collect All-American honors, toured the track in 54.16 to land midway between the NAIA national championship qualifying standards.
Other collegiate personal records for the Cavs on Saturday included: Andre Washington in the 200 (22.57), Roman Kirkov in the 1,500 (4:00.84) and Demetrius Rhodes (1:55.71) and Megan VonBargen 2:26.17) in the 800.
Willamette Invitational
Willamette University
Charles Bowles Track
Salem, Ore.
April 6
Concordia Men’s Results
200: 7. Andre Washington, 22.34.
800: 5. Demetrius Rhodes, 1:55.71.
1,500: 11. Roman Kirkov, 4:00.84.
110 Hurdles: 6. Maxwell Waters, 15.79.
400 Hurdles: 2. Jordan Reeher, 54.16.
Steeple: 13. Nick Wilson, 10:22.60.
Triple Jump: 1. Ethan Moore, 45-3 (13.79m).
High Jump: 1. Ethan Moore, 6-6 (1.98m).
Shot: 1. Wily Irwin, 62-8 (19.10m); 2. Zach Lake, 47-3 3/4 (14.42m).
Discus: 1. Willy Irwin, 180-11 (55.14m). Hammer: 1. Bo Johnson, 187-6 (57.15m).
Javelin: 14. Stephen Walter, 150-11 (45.99m).
1,600 Relay: 4. Concordia, 3:24.77 (J. Reeher, D. Rhodes, J. Bland, A. Washington).
Concordia Women’s Results
100: 16. Marshey Brown, 12.98; 19. Kristin Monda, 13.12.
200: 17. Marshey Brown, 27.06; 20. Kristin Monda, 27.73.
800: 23. Megan VonBargen, 2:26.17.
1,500: 1. Linsie Michels, 4:29.09.
5,000: 10. Mikel Elliott, 17:40.44; 12. Sarah Whybark, 17:46.06.
Shot: 1. Gabriella Dixson, 48-4 3/4 (14.75m); 7. Johna McEllrath, 40-4 3/4 (12.31m); 9. Ruby Aliimatafitafi, 38-6 1/4 (11.74m).
Discus: 1. Gabriella Dixson, 160-11 (49.09m); 2. Emily Redmayne-Titley, 149-4 (45.53m); 15. Johna McEllrath, 109-7 (33.40m); 22. Ruby Aliimatafitafi, 104-0 (31.71m).
Hammer: 2. Sharayah Kenady, 184-8 (56.30m); 3. Gabriella Dixson, 178-5 (54.39m).
Javelin: 14. Robbie Langrell, 100-5 (30.60m). 1
,600 Relay: 2. Concordia, 4:03.93 (M. Brown, L. Michels, K. Monda, M. Elliott).