KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
AUBURN, Ala. – Indiana State senior Brandon Pounds came close to duplicating the same feat he accomplished a year ago, setting a school record in the men's hammer throw at the Auburn Tiger Track Classic. This year he was just a few inches short of breaking his own school record but he still won the event during the first day of competition.
Pounds was measured at 213-feet-5-innches (65.05 meters) on his fourth attempt in the competition which was good enough to top Purdue freshman Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who finished second at 213-feet-1-inch (64.94m). The distance puts both athletes in the top 10 of the nation for the event.
The senior set the Indiana State record with a throw of 214-feet-4-inches (65.34m) at the 2012 Auburn Tiger Track Classic.
Chris Fields placed eighth with a career best distance of 187-feet-5-inches (57.13m) while Justin Applegate was 13th at 177-feet-8-inches (54.15m). In the Open Hammer Throw, Sean Dennis had a career best throw of 157-feet-2-inches (47.90m) to place ninth while Derek Bunch finished 10th with a distance of 155-feet-10-inches (47.49m).
Jordan Colanese placed second in the men's javelin open with a throw of 173-feet-10-inches (52.99m) with Brenner Stage taking seventh at 156-feet-0-inches (47.54m). Coastal Carolina's Chris Tillotson won the open division with a distance of 179-feet-2-inches (54.61m).
Shalesa Smith placed as the third collegian (fourth overall) in the women's triple jump with a leap of 40-feet-1.5-inches (12.23m). Carmelia Stewart was the eighth collegian (ninth overall) with a career best leap of 39-feet-7-inches (12.06m).
Former George Mason athlete Ryann Hendricks won the event in competing unattached with a leap of 41-feet-11.25-inches (12.78m).
Rachael Johnson and Kelly Steffen competed in the Women's Javelin Open with Johnson placing 11th at 89-feet-3-inches (27.21m) and Steffen 12th at 88-feet-10-inches (27.08m). Samford's Ashley Cope won the open division with a throw of 121-feet-2-inches (36.93m).
Mary Theisen took 13th in the women's hammer throw invitational event with a throw of 151-feet-5-inches (46.15m). Felisha Johnson fouled on each of her first three attempts. Auburn's Daina Levy won the invitational with a throw of 189-feet-11-inches (57.88m).
Competition in the women's hammer throw open was suspended Friday night and will resume at 10 a.m. (ET) Saturday. The regularly scheduled portion of the meet will begin at 12:00 p.m. (ET) Saturday starting with competition in the women's pole vault, men's long jump, women's long jump, and men's high jump. The women's 4x100 meter relay starts the track action also at 12:00 p.m. (ET).
