JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA & COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, May 28-31 — Twice Mykolas Alekna has come to the NCAA Championships and twice he has lost. Since his 3rd in ’23, the Cal junior has captured a World bronze, an Olympic silver and a World Record. He showed in the West Regional that he is more dangerous than ever, with his giant final toss of 236-7 (72.12), the third-farthest in collegiate history and eighth-farthest in world non-Ramona history. The big heave came at the end of a 3-throw series that started with a 225-5 (68.71) and a 223-8 (68.18).
Another who might be ready for the top of the podium is Ja’Kobe Tharp. Favored to win last year, he got nipped by 0.01. At this East Regional the Auburn soph blasted a PR 13.14 to move to No. 7 on the collegiate all-time list. He will have company, as the West Regional had Kendrick Smallwood of Texas at 13.13, Ja’Qualon Scott of Texas A&M at 13.16w and Jamar Marshall of Houston at 13.19.
Arkansas’s Jordan Anthony blasted a 9.75 in the 100 that would have been the CR but for a little wind — the gauge read 2.1. Credit for the collegiate leader went to East leader Abdul-Rasheed Saminu of South Florida, who hit 9.86 to tie for No. 2 on the ATL. Saminu also anchored a 38.05 in the 4×1, moving South Florida to =No. 5 all-time.
The 200 was also hot. USC’s Garrett Kaalund led the West with his legal (1.1) furlong of 19.85. In the East, it was Auburn’s Makanakaishe Charamba with a windy 19.79 (2.4) and T’Mars McCallum of Tennessee with his world-leading 19.83 (1.4 wind).
On the women’s side, Collegiate Record holder Doris Lemngole of Alabama ran the No. 2 collegiate steeple ever with a 9:13.12, winning her East race by more than 40 seconds. In the West, it was BYU’s Lexy Halladay-Lowry who led at 9:23.03.
LSU’s Tima Godbless dashed 10.91 in the first round in the East, then ran 11.11w for 3rd in her quarterfinal, as JaMeesia Ford of South Carolina led in 11.00w. Ford also clicked off a 22.27 in the 200. In the West, it was Dajaz Defrand of USC at 11.00 and teammate Madison Whyte at 22.16.
Good matchups are brewing in the middle distances. LSU’s Michaela Rose ran 1:58.91 to lead the East 800. The West was dominated by BYU’s Meghan Hunter, moving to No. 3 all-time at 1:58.95. A fast East 1500 saw Providence’s Shannon Flockhart rise to No. 4 all-time…
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