Concordia Throwers Dixson and Irwin Win NAIA National Championships on Second Day
2013 NAIA Outdoor Track Championships Gallery
LINCOLN, Neb.—A pair of Concordia throwers added to their national championship haul as Gabriella Dixson won the NAIA championship in the shot put and Willy Irwin captured the title in the discus on Friday.
With a dominating performance, senior Gabriella Dixson gave Concordia its third straight national champion in the women’s shot put. The NAIA leader and returning silver medalist at nationals, Dixson set a career best 50-11 1/4 (15.52m) on her opening throw and upped the distance to 51-2 1/2 (15.61m) on her third attempt.
The distance outperformed CU’s 2012 winner Kayla Xavier, who tossed a 50-10 (15.49m) to win the national title last year, and erased Dixson’s former career best of 50-7 1/4 (15.42m) set at the same meet.
Also competing for Concordia, freshman Johna McEllrath unleashed a season-best 44-0 3/4 (13.43m) to place 11th overall. McEllrath started the competition ranked 28th out of 28 and bettered her former season best of 42-11 (13.08m) by more than a full foot.
Entering the meet ranked No. 2 in the discus, Willy Irwin threw a 186-10 (56.96m) on his first attempt of the day and watched the mark hold throughout the competition to give Concordia its second national title of the day.
Doane’s (Neb.) Zack Lindsley, the leader entering the meet, finished second with a 180-10 (55.11m). Concordia’s Bo Johnson, the runner-up in the hammer from Thursday, placed 18th in the discus with a 152-8 (46.54m).
Irwin, the NAIA indoor shot put champion, will have a chance to claim his second title of meet on Saturday. Irwin holds the top NAIA mark in the shot by more than two feet with a season best of 63-11 1/4 (19.49m). Dixson will return to action to defend her national title in the discus on Saturday, where she also holds the national lead this year.
Clearing the opening height in the high jump on his second attempt, Ethan Moore added an outdoor All-American honor to his indoor performance from earlier in the year. His successful leap with the bar set at 6-7 (2.01m) gave Moore a tie for eighth place with two other competitors. Embry-Riddle’s (Fla.) Mike Edwards won the title with a 7-1 (1.16m) clearance.
A day after qualifying for finals in the 1,500, senior Linsie Michels replicated the feat in the 800 by winning the second section with a time of 2:12.99. Michels controlled the race the final 400 meters and held on down the final straightaway, with Morningside’s Breanna Mathes recording an identical time to grasp the second automatic qualifying spot.
Oklahoma Baptist’s Hannah Helker won the first section with a 2:14.40 while College of Idaho’s Hillary Holt won the third and final heat with a 2:11.66.
In the men’s 800, Demetrius Rhodes took the lead just around the corner following the bell-lap signal and maintained the lead until the 700-meter mark. With the chase pack on his heels, Rhodes finished in seventh place in the section with a 1:55.31. Morningside’s Monte Larsen won the section with a 1:53.13. Meanwhile, Southern Oregon’s Zach Boyd-Helms won the first heat with a 1:51.78and Eastern Oregon’s Hans Roelle grabbed first in the third and final section after finishing in 1:53.89. Rhodes will come back later in the day as a member of CU’s 1,600-meter relay team.
Running out of the eighth lane in the first section of the 400-meter prelims, Andre Washington placed fifth in his section with a 49.05 and initially eked into the finals with the ninth and final spot, but his race was ruled a disqualification by the meet officials due to stepping into an inside lane. Washington holds the Concordia school record in the event at 48.39.
Capping the second day of competition, the Concordia men’s 1,600-meter relay team consisting of Jordan Reeher, Demetrius Rhodes, Joshua Bland and Andre Washington placed 15th overall with a time of 3:17.87. Dillard (La.) earned the final qualifying spot to finals with a 3:14.36 while Indiana Tech cruised to a 3:10.82 for the top time of the day.
All-Americans
1st, Gabriella Dixson, Shot Put
1st, Willy Irwin, Discus
2nd, Sharayah Kenady, Hammer
2nd, Bo Johnson, Hammer
3rd, Adam Riddle, Hammer
5th, Gabriella Dixson, Hammer
8th, Ethan Moore, High Jump
Concordia Results
400 (prelims): Andre Washington, DQ.
800 (prelims): 18. Demetrius Rhodes, 1:55.31.
400 Hurdles: 3. (Section 2) Jordan Reeher, 54.67.
High Jump: T8. Ethan Moore, 6-7 (2.01m).
Discus: 1. Wily Irwin, 186-10 (56.96m); 18. Bo Johnson, 152-8 (46.54m).
Hammer: 2. Bo Johnson, 198-1 (60.39m); 3. Adam Riddle, 196-2 (59.81m).
1,600 Relay (prelims): 15. Concordia, 3:17.87 (Jordan Reeher, Joshua Bland, Demetrius Rhodes, Andre Washington).
800 (prelims): 1. (Section 2) Linsie Michels, 2:12.99
. 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).