Results PageCONWAY, Ark. - A new conference and division, but still the same result for Abilene Christian senior Baptiste Kerjean who on Friday night celebrated yet another postseason hammer throw victory after registering a meet-record distance of 210 feet-1 inch (64.04 meters) at the Southland Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Central Arkansas' Bill Stephens Track & Field Complex.
Kerjean's conference championship is his third in as many years. He won his first Lone Star Conference title in 2012 in what was only the fifth collegiate meet of his career after coming to ACU from St. Brieuc, France. Kerjean then repeated as league champion a year later behind an effort of 209-10, and after which, he finished as the NCAA D-II runner-up with a career best throw of 218-0 (66.45m). He also attained all-America status in 2012, placing third with a mark of 210-9.
Incredibly, Kerjean won 60 percent of his hammer throw events (12 of 20) in three full seasons with the Wildcats, and even when he posted his lowest career finish of eighth at the 55th edition of Mt. SAC Relays in 2013, he still finished a centimeter shy of his PR at 66.44 (218-0) against a stacked field that included a number of all-Americans and Olympic hopefuls.
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Tonight Kerjean trailed early as junior Jonathan Kinchen of Southeastern Louisiana was the first of 16 competitors to eclipse 60 meters with his measurement of 60.88m in the second round.
Kerjean fouled in his second round attempt and only reached 58 meters in his third try, while Kinchen regressed slightly to 59.91 meters.
But following the cut, a resurgent Kerjean took a commanding lead with a launch of 63.45 meters and two throws later broke the previous meet record of 63.95 set by Chris Cralle of Sam Houston State in 2009.
As for Kinchen? He quickly faded from view after fouling on his final three attempts, but still held on for runner-up honors over his teammate Brett Olsen (195-0/59.44m).
Kerjean's win combined with a personal best and eighth-place hammer throw (173-09/52.97m) from sophomore Jelani Rainey gave ACU men's team 11 points through three events today, and it could grow even more Saturday if sophomore Luke Woods continues at his torrid pace in the decathlon.
Woods is in third place through five events with a first-day personal best of 3,588 points. However, he trails two New Orleans freshmen - Karl Saluri (4022) and Markus Leemet (3652) - and has Stephen F. Austin junior Jamal Davis right on his tail with 3585 points. Trey Carter of UCA and Cody Rhodes of SFA also totaled over 3500 points today as they begin Saturday in fifth and sixth place, respectively.
Woods recorded four PRs throughout the afternoon starting with his fourth-place time of 11.07 seconds in the 100-meter dash. He then took third in the long jump with a leap that was exactly a foot further than his previous best of 21-1.5 recorded at Texas A&M in January.
From there, Woods recorded another substantial PR in the shot put of 40-6.25 (12.35m) to finish fourth; tied for fifth in the high jump with Davis, and placed sixth in the 400-meter dash with a mark of 51.20 that was over a full second faster than his previous best of 52.22 clocked at the Texas State Bobcat Invitational decathlon.
Woods' events for tomorrow are the 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m. He placed among the top five at Texas State in all these events, and was the runner-up in the discus and 1500m, to finish with a career-high 6,594 points.
Through four events in the women's heptathlon, Wildcat freshmen Taylor Yantis and Ramesheon Marine are clinging onto points as they'll start Saturday's competitions in seventh and eighth place, respectively.
Yantis came through with a first-day PR score of 2,823 points, highlighted by a tie for fourth place in the high jump (5-1.25/1.56m), while Marine totaled 2,806 points. Marine began the day with a third-place, wind-aided time of 14.59 in the 100 hurdles and later placed fifth in the 200m (25.86). Unfortunately, she finished well below eighth place in the high jump and shot put.
ACU women totaled seven team points today, starting with Lauren Hartwick's PR and fifth-place throw of 170-5 (51.94m) in the hammer and ending with freshman Kenzie Walker taking sixth place in the pole vault with a top height of 12-2 (3.71m).
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ACU Track Results at Southland Conference Championships
Men's Hammer Throw1.) Baptiste Kerjean - 210-01 (64.04m) (meet record)
8.) Jelani Rainey - 173-09 (52.97m)
Decathlon3.) Luke Woods - 3,588 points (1st-day PR)
100m - 11.07 (w1.8) [4th/845 pts.] | LJ - 22-01.50 (6.74m) (w0.3) [3rd/753 pts.] | SP - 40-06.25 (12.35m) [4th/628 pts.] |
LJ - 5-09.75 (1.77m) [T5th/602 pts.] | 400m - 51.20 [6th/760 pts.]
Decathlon: Men 100 Meter Dash4.) Luke Woods - 11.07 (w1.8) / 845 points (PR)
Decathlon: Long Jump3.) Luke Woods - 22-01.50 (6.74m|w0.3) / 753 points (PR)
Decathlon: Shot Put4.) Luke Woods - 40-06.25 (12.35m) / 628 points (PR)
Decathlon: High JumpT5.) Luke Woods - 5-09.75 (1.77m) / 602 points
Decathlon: 400-meter Dash6.) Luke Woods - 51.20 / 760 points (PR)
Women's Pole Vault6.) Kenzie Walker - 12-02.00 (3.71m)
Women's Hammer Throw5.) Lauren Hartwick - 170-5 (51.94m) (PR)
9.) Shalania Lakey - 151-2 (46.09m)
Heptathlon7.) Taylor Yantis - 2823 points (1st-day PR)
100H - 15.01 (w1.2) [7th/840 pts.] | HJ - 5-01.25 (1.56m) [T4th/689 pts.] | SP - 32-06.50 (9.92m) [7th/524 pts.] |
200m - 26.31 (w0.7) [7th/770 pts.]
8.) Ramesheon Marine - 2806 points
100H - 14.59 (w2.1) [3rd/897 pts.] | HJ - 4-09.75 (1.47m) [13th/588 pts.] | SP - 31-11.25 (9.73m) [11th/512 pts.] |
200m - 25.86 (w0.1) [5th/809 pts.]
Heptathlon: 100 Meter Hurdles3.) Ramesheon Marine - 14.59Â (w2.1) / 897 points
7.) Taylor Yantis- 15.01 (w1.2) / 840 points
Heptathlon: High JumpT4.) Taylor Yantis - 5-01.25 (1.56m) / 689 points
13.) Ramesheon Marine - 4-09.75Â (1.47m) / 588 points
Heptathlon: Shot Put7.) Taylor Yantis - 32-06.50 (9.92m) / 524 points (PR)
11.) Ramesheon Marine - 31-11.25 (9.73m) / 512 points (PR)
Heptathlon: 200-meter dash5.) Ramesheon Marine - 25.86 (w0.1) / 809 points
7.) Taylor Yantis - 26.31 (w0.7) / 770 points
