Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Salukis win two event titles on day one of Jesse Owens Classic
04/20/2018 | 10:45:00 | Track and Field
Southern swept the hammer throw competitions and tallied two top-10 school marks in limited action Friday night.
The Southern Illinois track and field swept the hammer throw competitions and set eight lifetime-bests across three events (hammer throw,1500m, javelin) during the opening day of competition at the Jesse Owens Classic, hosted by the Ohio State University.
First day highlights included a pair of top-10 schools marks from Ricky Hurley (hammer throw) and Alex Martel (1500m run) and wins by Alexis Roberson and Nate Dyer.Â
Hurley continued to do what he has done all outdoor season for the Salukis, as he notched a PR in the championship division of the hammer throw. The four-time All-MVC honoree entered Friday's competition one of only two throwers in the NCAA to rank in the top-20 of the discus, shot put and the hammer throw. His performance Friday night will only serve to further help his cause to remain in the top-20 of all three, as he threw a personal-best 206'-6" (62.94m) to place fourth. It also moves the Fox River Grove, Ill. native up to sixth on SIU's all-time hammer throw list.
On the oval, Martel's performance in the 1500m stood out on opening night. Martel ran a lifetime-best 4:27.84 to finish fourth. It was also the fourth-fastest time in school history and the best time clocked by a Saluki in the event since 2014. It is the second top-10 school mark that the Chicago, Ill. native has recorded this season, as she ran the eighth-fastest 800m time in program history at the Mondo Team Challenge on Mar. 31.
Roberson set a PR by more than five feet to win the women's hammer throw. The Jefferson City, Mo. native threw 186'-2" (56.74m) to post her first collegiate win in the event and top a field of 32 throwers. The mark will also move Roberson up to fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference heading into Saturday's competition. Nikki Freeman also notched a lifetime-best in the event, as she threw 177'-8" (53.25m) to finish seventh.
Nate Dyer made it a clean sweep for the Salukis in the men's hammer throw. The senior from Virgil, Ill. threw 193'-1" (58.87m) to win the event for the first time in his career. Kyle Kling added a PR with his mark of 180'-6" (55.02m) to place ninth.
Charlene Helton notched her third PR in the javelin this season. The sophomore from Carrolton, Ill. threw 130'-0" (39.62m) to finish 11th. Southern's two additional personal-bests came in the men's 1500m run as Chris Edwards ran a personal-best 3:56.17 to place eighth while Cain Hassim ran 3:58.37 to finish 12th.Â
Day two of the Jesse Owens Classic begins Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with the women's shot put and the men's discus throw.Â
First day highlights included a pair of top-10 schools marks from Ricky Hurley (hammer throw) and Alex Martel (1500m run) and wins by Alexis Roberson and Nate Dyer.Â
Hurley continued to do what he has done all outdoor season for the Salukis, as he notched a PR in the championship division of the hammer throw. The four-time All-MVC honoree entered Friday's competition one of only two throwers in the NCAA to rank in the top-20 of the discus, shot put and the hammer throw. His performance Friday night will only serve to further help his cause to remain in the top-20 of all three, as he threw a personal-best 206'-6" (62.94m) to place fourth. It also moves the Fox River Grove, Ill. native up to sixth on SIU's all-time hammer throw list.
On the oval, Martel's performance in the 1500m stood out on opening night. Martel ran a lifetime-best 4:27.84 to finish fourth. It was also the fourth-fastest time in school history and the best time clocked by a Saluki in the event since 2014. It is the second top-10 school mark that the Chicago, Ill. native has recorded this season, as she ran the eighth-fastest 800m time in program history at the Mondo Team Challenge on Mar. 31.
Roberson set a PR by more than five feet to win the women's hammer throw. The Jefferson City, Mo. native threw 186'-2" (56.74m) to post her first collegiate win in the event and top a field of 32 throwers. The mark will also move Roberson up to fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference heading into Saturday's competition. Nikki Freeman also notched a lifetime-best in the event, as she threw 177'-8" (53.25m) to finish seventh.
Nate Dyer made it a clean sweep for the Salukis in the men's hammer throw. The senior from Virgil, Ill. threw 193'-1" (58.87m) to win the event for the first time in his career. Kyle Kling added a PR with his mark of 180'-6" (55.02m) to place ninth.
Charlene Helton notched her third PR in the javelin this season. The sophomore from Carrolton, Ill. threw 130'-0" (39.62m) to finish 11th. Southern's two additional personal-bests came in the men's 1500m run as Chris Edwards ran a personal-best 3:56.17 to place eighth while Cain Hassim ran 3:58.37 to finish 12th.Â
Day two of the Jesse Owens Classic begins Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with the women's shot put and the men's discus throw.Â
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