Four Concordia Hammer Throwers Earn All-American Honors on Opening Day of the NAIA Track Championships
MARION, Ind.—With only a few events competing in finals on the first day of action at the NAIA Track & Field Championships, Concordia University crowned four All-Americans in the hammer throw to get things rolling on Thursday. In addition, three of the four Concordia competitors in events on the track successfully moved on to the finals in their respective events.
Sharayah Kenady, the defending NAIA national champion in the event, settled for second place with a 189-3 (57.69m) mark on her third attempt of the day while Gabriella Dixson placed fifth overall with a 177-3 (54.04m). With a school record 197-10 (60.31m) this season, Kenady came into the meet ranked No. 2 overall behind the eventual winner from Embry-Riddle (Fla.) Reta Woodward. Woodward won the competition handily with a meet record throw of 202-2 (61.64m).
Ranked second and third overall entering the men’s hammer throw competition, Bo Johnson and Adam Riddle stayed true to form to pick up 14 team points for the Cavaliers in the men’s hammer. Johnson unleashed a career-best 198-1 (60.38m) on his third attempt while Riddle topped out at 196-2 (59.81m) on his fourth attempt.
William Woods’ (Mo.) senior Anthony Stockton won the national title with a 201-11 (59.42m) on his fifth attempt. For Johnson, it was the senior’s second straight All-American honor in the event after a sixth-place finish last year.
The women’s distance duo of Linsie Michels and Sarah Whybark successfully navigated the preliminary round of the 1,500-meter run which saw all competitors facing a significant wind down the backstretch. Running in the first of two heats, Michels crossed in sixth place with a 4:42.03 while Whybark immediately followed with a 4:43.03.
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With the top four finishers in each heat and the next four fastest times advancing to finals, Michels and Whybark were benefited by a slower second section which saw British Columbia’s Mariah Bernard win with a time of 4:43.76. College of Idaho’s returning national champion Hillary Holt posted the fastest prelim time with a 4:38.51. The finals of the 1,500 will take place on Saturday.
Mikel Elliott closed out the Concordia track action on the first day by easily qualifying to finals in the women’s steeplechase. Running in the second section and finishing with an 11:14.43, Elliott clung to the right shoulder of Cumberland’s Danielle Hoop before passing her competitor with 500 meters to go en route to a second-place finish in the heat.
College of Idaho’s Sora Klopfenstein, the NAIA leader in the event with a season-best 10:45.94, won the heat in wire-to-wire fashion and crossed in 11:06.88 while Hoop placed third at 11:16.56. Rhianna Grossman, competing for Montana’s Carroll College, won the first section with a 10:59.83. The top five finishers plus the next four fastest times will compete for a national title in the 3,000-meter event on Saturday afternoon.
Just missing out on his second straight appearance in the finals of the men’s 400-meter hurdles, sophomore Jordan Reeher placed third in the second section of the one-lapper with a time of 54.67. Reeher finished with the 10th best time of the day and was ousted by Southern Oregon’s Sullivan Stevens for the final qualifying spot after Stevens posted a 54.41 out of the third and final section. Reeher will return to the track tomorrow as a member of CU's 1,600-meter relay team.
Concordia All-Americans
2nd, Sharayah Kenady, Hammer
2nd, Bo Johnson, Hammer
3rd, Adam Riddle, Hammer
5th, Gabriella Dixson, Hammer
Concordia Men’s Results
400 Hurdles: 3. (Section 2) Jordan Reeher, 54.67.
Hammer: 2. Bo Johnson, 198-1 (60.39m); 3. Adam Riddle, 196-2 (59.81m).
Concordia Women’s Results
1,500 (Prelims): 6. (Section 1) Linsie Michels, 4:42.03; 7. (Section 1) Sarah Whybark, 4:43.03.
Steeplechase (prelims): 2. (Section 1) Mikel Elliott, 11:14.43.
Hammer: 2. Sharayah Kenady, 189-3 (57.59m); 5. Gabriella Dixson, 177-3 (54.04m).