Kellen Blassingame Smashes Own School Record in 400m
Story Links
May 9, 2004
Virginia’s Kellen Blassingame, the school record holder in the 400m dash, lowered his own record by .58 seconds to run 46.18 in the event as he was the first collegiate athlete across the line at today’s JMU Invitational held in Harrisonburg, Va. Blassingame finished just ahead of teammate Jason Young, who ran a PR 47.07 and moved to #4 all-time at Virginia in the event, qualifying for the NCAA East Regional in the process. Caroline Harvey also qualified for the NCAA Regional meet, with Harvey running an 11.66 in the 100m dash.
In a very windy day on a new track up in the Blue Ridge, Blassingame and Young went 2-3 in the 400 dash and were the first two collegiate athletes to finish in the event. Blassingame also set a Virginia season best time in the 200m dash, running a PR 21.41. He now ranks #1 all-time in the 400m dash and his 21.41 in the 200 ranks sixth all-time. Teammate Shadion Buckley also turned in a pair of what would have been Virginia season bests today, running a 10.85 in the 100m dash and leaping 22′ 4.5″ in the long jump, but both performances are considered wind-aided. Buckley’s 200 time of 22.51 is his best time this season. Greg Blair also set a personal best in the pole vault today en route to winning the event with a 15′ 11″, and he now sits at #5 all-time in Virginia history. School-record holder David Sullivan took home runner-up honors as he also cleared 15′ 11″ but lost the tiebreaker to Blair. Walker Anderson won the bronze in the shot put, throwing a season-best 49′ 1″.
Harvey’s 11.66, which earned her second place at today’s meet, was the fastest time she has ever run, but it came with a tailwind of 3.8 m/s. Her time qualified her for the NCAA East Regional, which allows wind-aided times up to 4 m/s. She also jumped 19′ 11.75″, her longest leap of the season and of her career, but again it came with a huge tailwind. Tiffany Roberts rank her fastest time of the season in the 200 with a wind-aided 25.20, which earned her fifth. Roberts also medalled in the 400, running a 57.15. Erin Crawford and Sarah Convery won their respective events, the 400 intermediate hurdles and the javelin. Meggie Schuelke and Rachel Marks went 2-3 in the high jump, with Schuelke clearing 5’8 and Marks jumping 5′ 5″. Tomika Ferguson jumped over 40 feet in the triple jump, but her leap came with a tailwind of 4.7 m/s.
Virginia assistant coaches Kiamesha Otey and Carielle Doe went 1-2 in the 200m and Doe also won the 400m.
The NCAA East Regional meet will take place May 28-29 at the University of Florida.
WOMEN: 100m: Harvey, 11.66*, 2nd; Ferguson, 12.10*, 4th; 200m: Roberts, 25.20*, 5th; Ashley Gore, 25.37*, 8th; Holman, 26.36*; 400m: Roberts, 54.65m 3rd; Gore, 58.97; Morgan Cephas, 60.03; 800m: Sharon O’Connor, 2;12.01, 7th; 1500m: Shannon Hawrylo, 4:35.24, 6th; 3000m: Laura Hodges, 10:27.08, 8th; Cheryl Carr, 10:28.27; 5000m: Kelly Behan, 18:01.13, 3rd; 100HH: Holman, 14.52*, 4th; 400IH: Crawford, 59.42, 1st; HJ: Schuelke, 5′ 8″, 2nd; Marks, 5′ 5″, 3rd; PV: Lauren Taggart, 11′ 3.75″, 3rd; Kathryn Pettine, 10′ 10″, 7th; Harvey, 19′ 11.75″**, 3rd; TJ: Ferguson, 40′ 5.5″**, 1st; Jav; Convery, 133′ 10″, 1st; Bobiak, 122′ 4″, 2nd;
MEN: 100m: Buckley, 10.85*; Kevin Carson, 11.12*; 200m: Blassingame, 21.41; Buckley, 22.51; Gemayel Hazard, 22.70; Carson, 22.7; 400m: Blassingame, 4618, School record, 2nd; Young, 47.07, #4 UVa, 3rd, NCAA Reg; 800m: McGavock Dunbar, 1:50.51, 5th; Zach Davis, 1:52.97; Matt Antunes, 1:57.73; Alec Lorenzoni, 2:11.05; 1500m: Alex Tatu, 3:51.83; Walt Kingsbery, 4:01.10; 3000m: Matt Gutridge, 8:57.47; 110HH: Scott Robinson, 14.69, 5th; Hazard, 14.87*, 7th; Devin Canaday, 14.98, 8th; Steeple: Ryan Neuhart, 9:27.56, 2nd; Grady Sullivan, 9:32.09, 4th; PV: Blair, 15’11”, 1st; Sullivan, 15′ 11″, 2nd; LJ: Buckley, 22′ 4.5″**, 7th; SP: Anderson, 49′ 1″, 3rd; Hamm: Anderson, 157′ 3″
*wind over 2 m/s but under 4 m/s** wind over 4 m/s