Crouser prevails in first competition since August; Morris, Jagers set meet records; Harrison, Moline defend hurdles titles

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It wasn’t exactly the comeback Ryan Crouser envisioned, but the 2016 Olympic shot put gold medalist reminded the 14,504 spectators in attendance Saturday at the 109th Drake Relays that one great effort is still enough to beat some of the best throwers in the world.

Crouser, competing in a meet for the first time since September, produced only one fair mark followed by five fouls. But that opening-round effort of 72 feet, 2.50 inches (22.01m) was too much for reigning IAAF World Indoor and Outdoor champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand to overtake at Jim Duncan Track.

“I’m still not quite there, but there are some really good signs of things to come. It’s never good to have one throw and five fouls, so that shows the inconsistency that’s there, but this is only my third day throwing hard,” said Crouser, who was sidelined for eight weeks with a hand injury and had only resumed training for five weeks.

“There’s still a lot to work on, but it’s always good to open with a 22-meter season opener. It was really good for me just to get out there and compete. This is about the latest I’ve ever started competing.”

Walsh, who has three marks this year beyond Crouser’s winning effort, responded with a 71-7.25 (21.82m) put in the second round. Despite five marks over 70 feet, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist couldn’t match his success of the past two months, including a lifetime-best 74-4.50 (22.67m) performance March 25 in Auckland.

“It’s good to get back out there (with Ryan). He got the better of me (Saturday) and he had a big throw out there, but I felt like I had something in the tank, I just couldn’t quite line it up,” Walsh said. “It was slightly frustrating, but definitely a good competition for me. Everything was really good, apart from I just wasn’t quite taking it on the end.”

Another battle of global medalists took place on the pole vault runway, with reigning World Indoor champion Sandi Morris clearing a meet-record 16 feet (4.88m) in her outdoor opener to prevail against world leader Jenn Suhr, who only managed to reach 15-5 (4.70m). Suhr had cleared 16-2 (4.93m) on April 14 in Austin, Texas.

“I was experimenting with some new, longer poles and they really worked out for me. A couple of those attempts, I had that wind behind me, I was able to plant that new pole, make some bars on it and I think that higher grip is going to set me up to jump even higher, hopefully at USAs,” said Morris, who surpassed the 2013 record of 15-11 (4.85m). “It’s really promising, especially because I feel like I just had some bad practices and my legs were exhausted, but that’s what happens when you’re switching from indoor to outdoor season.

“You’ve got to go back to those plyometrics, running those hills, killing your legs and then you’re also trying to vault from full approach and your legs are just dead. I did pretty much as well as I could have hoped for. I definitely surprised myself a bit.”

There were no surprises when it came to Keni Harrison winning her third straight title in the women’s 100-meter hurdles on the Blue Oval.

Harrison clocked a wind-aided 12.37, the fastest time in the world this year under all conditions, to prevail against Commonwealth Games gold medalist Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (12.61) and defending World 400 hurdles champion and training partner Kori Carter (12.81).

“(Coach Edrick Floreal) told me just to come out here and get my rhythm and set up my races for the Diamond Leagues,” said Harrison, who became the first athlete to win three in a row in the 100 hurdles since Lolo Jones secured four straight victories from 2005-08.

“This race was definitely a race that I needed and one that is going to set me up for my next race. I think this track brings me luck. It’s a fast surface and the fans always show up, whether it’s rainy or sunny, so I’m always excited to run here.”

As is Georganne Moline, who became the first professional athlete and only the fifth female in meet history to repeat in the 400 hurdles. Moline clocked 54.86 in her 400 hurdles opener to hold off stadium record holder Dalilah Muhammad in 55.08 and 2015 Drake Relays champion Cassandra Tate (55.14).

Purdue senior Symone Black was the top collegiate performer, placing seventh in 57.24.

“I really thought I lost the race after the first hurdle and I’m like, ‘How did I mess up the first hurdle?’ But like (Coach Fred Harvey) says, ‘You’re strong. You can get away with these things and still come home.’ So that’s all I was thinking about was coach Harvey in my head,” Moline said. “I plan on coming back next year and defending my title. It’s really awesome to do it again.”

Reggie Jagers set meet and stadium records in the men’s discus throw with a third-round throw of 211-11 (64.59m). Mac Wilkins set the mark of 211 feet (64.30m) in 1978, but the invitational event hadn’t been contested at Drake Relays since 1980.

Eric Avila survived a thrilling stretch run against Drew Hunter to secure victory in the men’s mile by a 3:58.81 to 3:58.83 margin. Brannon Kidder also produced a sub-4 effort by clocking 3:59.86, increasing the total to 34 sub-4 miles in history at Jim Duncan Track since Steve Scott ran the first in 1979.

Isiah Young won the men’s 100 in a wind-legal 10.02, just leaning ahead of Mike Rodgers (10.03). Great Britain’s CJ Ujah was third in 10.13, with Canada’s Andre De Grasse racing for the first time since July, clocking 10.15 to finish fourth.

Devon Allen won the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.42, holding off Aries Merritt in 13.45.

Jeffery Gibson of the Bahamas, the Commonwealth Games silver medalist, clocked 49.09 to win the men’s 400 hurdles, with Michael Stigler finishing second in 49.24.

Sean Donnelly prevailed in the men’s hammer throw with a sixth-round throw of 234-5 (71.47m). North Dakota State’s Steffan Stroh was the top collegiate in the competition, finishing third in 217-9 (66.39m).