  | ||
|
LAST UPDATED ON Friday October 31 2003 |
|
News |
||
Auburn discus thrower breaks record; Canadians earn silver and bronze.June 01 2000
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Auburn discus thrower Gabor Mate continually watches films of 1976 Olympic champion Mac Wilkins.
On Wednesday, Mate won a gold medal for the second straight year at the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium. To cap his performance, the sophomore from Hungary smashed Wilkins' 18-year-old stadium record with a toss of 215 feet, 8 inches (65.74) on his final throw. Wilkins had set the mark of 212-6 (64.77) in 1982. "I'm proud I broke the Olympic champion stadium's record," the fun-loving Mate said. "He was an awesome thrower. "He's one of my idols because of his consistency in meets. His distances were impressive." Mate opened with a big throw and was so elated that he kissed the ground. After his final throw, he kissed his left footprint where he started in the back of the discus circle. "Before the first throw, I felt a lot of pressure to perform well and pull out a good throw," Mate said. "Afterward, I felt relief. "After the last throw, I had a special feeling for the meet. I like to do something special, something unique, something original." Mate did something unusual earlier in the season. He and roommate Reedus Thurmond, who finished third at 203-7 (63.05), decided that whoever surpassed 215 (65.53) feet would have to dye his hair. He did it March 26, setting the collegiate record of 219-6 (66.90). So his brownish-black hair now has a lot of blonde flowing through it. That won't last long. After winning the national title again, he said he would dye his hair orange and blue -- Auburn's colors. Mate's record-breaking throw came at an opportune time -- weather-wise. "I tried to put everything into my last throw," he said, "and it accidentally happened to find a good flight. Just before that, the wind started blowing ... and it was a headwind. That makes it fly. You just have to hit the right flight." Before this season, Mate had set a modest goal of making the Hungarian Olympic team. Now, his aim is much loftier. "As my performances grew, I got greedier," he said. "I think the Olympic final will be my goal now." Canadian Jason Gervais finished 2nd in the competition with a strong performance of 62.82. Meanwhile, SMU's Florence Ezeh won her second consecutive women's hammer throw title with a meet-record 211-10, breaking the previous mark of 209-4 by South Carolina's Lisa Misipeka set in 1998. Ezeh, who is unbeaten this year, also won the 20-pound weight throw title indoors. The indoor victory came on her final attempt. The outdoor championship was less dramatic, her best throw coming on her fourth of six attempts. It took a while for Ezeh, a native of France, to get going Wednesday. "On my first throw I was so tense I couldn't throw," she said. "On my second, I tried to improve but I couldn't really. The third didn't work out. "Between flights (the third and fourth rounds), since nothing was working out, I prayed and it happened." Ezeh said she was not worried that Nebraska's Melissa Price, the leader through the first three rounds, would beat her on the final throw of the competition. "I knew she would put more intensity into her throw," Ezeh said. "She shouldn't do that. She should relax." Wednesday's other finals were the men's long jump and women's 10,000 meters. Canadians Robin Lyons and Jennifer Joyce threw 63.02 and 62.22 respectively to finish 3rd and 4th. Final WOMEN'S HAMMER THROW **SERIES** 1. Florence Ezeh, SMU 64.58m (211-10); 2. Melissa Price, Nebraska 64.24m (210-09); 3. Robin Lyons, Wyoming 63.02m (206-09); 4. Jennifer Joyce, California 62.22m (204-01); 5. Christina Tolson, UCLA 62.04m (203-06); 6. Jennifer Vail, USC 61.54m (201-11); 7. Bethany Hart, Connecticut 60.54m (198-07); 8. Cari Soong, UCLA 60.22m (197-07); 9. Nancy Guillen, SMU 59.20m (194-03); 10. Dana Dillon, Wyoming 57.78m (189-07); 11. Chantel Goldsberry, Utah 57.60m (189-0); 12. Beth Howard, Minnesota 57.52m (188-08); 13. Julianna Tudja, SMU 56.64m (185-10); 14. Charlotte Wahlin, Utah State 56.14m (184-02); 15. Meshell Trotter, Texas A&M 55.08m (180-08); 16. Julie Thomas, Wyoming 54.58m (179-01); 17. Erin Wibbles, Nebraska 54.12m (177-07); 18. Serene Ross, Purdue 53.08m (174-02); 19. Andrea Thornton, Wash. State 52.76m (173-01); 20. Carrie Myers, Indiana St. 51.42m (168-08); - Anne-Laure Gremillet, UTEP FOUL. Final MEN'S DISCUS THROW **SERIES** 1. Gabor Mate, Auburn 65.74m (215-08); 2. Jason Gervais, Wyoming 62.82m (206-01); 3. Reedus Thurmond, Auburn 62.06m (203-07); 4. Tolga Koseoglu, Texas A&M 62.02m (203-06); 5. Casey Malone, Colorado St. 61.44m (201-07); 6. Nick Petrucci, N. Arizona 61.12m (200-06); 7. Jarred Rome, Boise State 61.00m (200-01); 8. Mark Hoxmeier, Boise State 60.32m (197-11); 9. Ian Waltz, Wash. State 58.72m (192-08); 10. Janus Robberts, SMU 58.64m (192-05); 11. Ben Lindsey, Washington 58.34m (191-05); 12. Brian Trainor, Colorado St. 58.04m (190-05); 13. James Parker, Utah State 57.84m (189-09); 14. Mark Simmons, SMU 57.52m (188-08); 15. Tom Barrett, Illinois St. 57.32m (188-01); 16. Stefanos Konstas, UTEP 56.62m (185-09); 17. Scott Moser, UCLA 55.96m (183-07); 18. Nathan Fanger, Kent 55.48m (182-0); 19. Zech Schiebout, Iowa State 54.78m (179-09); 20. Jason Young, Texas Tech 54.16m (177-08). Check out the Jumpstart Athletics Canadian National Throws Rankings for complete rankings in the throws. If you have news, results or info please let us know by using our submission form or emailing Larry Steinke [ MEET INFORMATION ] [ ANALYSIS & TIPS ] [ THROWS ARTICLES ] [ INTERVIEWS ] [ RECORDS ] [ RESULTS ] [ CLASSIFIEDS ] [ HOT LINK ARCHIVE ] [ DISCUSSION FORUM ] [ SUBMISSIONS ] [ THROWERS QUIZ ] [ GUESTBOOK ] | ||