Throwers Lead @MiamiTrack at ACC Indoors
BLACKSBURG, Va. – A trio of throwers helped the University of Miami track and field program get off to a strong start at the 2015 ACC Indoor Championships.
Lea Johnson and Tiffany Okieme combined for 16 points in the women’s weight throw, while Carlos Mangum scored for Miami’s men.
“That was a big event for us so for them to come in and throw so well in both the men’s and women’s weight throw sets both teams up well,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “I think Carlos throwing so well was great incentive for Tiffany and Lea. Carlos started it off and Lea and Tiffany followed with a big day. It was awesome.”
Johnson defended her ACC Indoor title in the weight throw with a personal-best mark of 21.45m that ranks second all-time in UM history. The senior was second heading into the finals with a mark of 20.01m, but she posted her winning throw on her fifth attempt of the night to earn her second consecutive ACC Indoor Championship in the women’s weight throw.
“I’ve been trying to break through 21 meters since last season,” Johnson said. “I have thrown 20.99, 20.98 and 20.99 again and to finally break through and throw 21.45 and almost break the school record is great. Now I get to go to nationals feeling great and peaking again and I can break the school record at nationals. It means a lot that my teammate did well, too. She threw a personal best and we got first and third like we did last year at the ACCs so it was great for us.”
Okieme earned a bronze medal with her personal-best throw of 21.16m. The junior finished third in her inaugural ACC Indoor Championships and also moved into third place in UM history.
“This builds a lot of confidence for me,” Okieme said. “It shows me that all the hard work, dedication and effort I’ve put in has paid off. I am excited and there is a lot more to come for me and the rest of our throwers. I am honored to have had this opportunity to score for our team.”
Mangum set a new school record in the men’s weight throw while scoring four points for Miami’s men with a fifth place finish. The sophomore entered the ACC Indoor Championships with a personal-best mark of 19.82m, but Mangum posted three throws that surpassed his previous career-high.
“I was focused and I knew what I had to do,” Mangum said. “As one of the first events, I wanted to start our team off right and get some points for us. I didn’t know how I was going to do, but I noticed after my first throw that I was feeling good and I threw three PRs. I’m glad I could end my indoor season doing something great.”
After opening with a foul, Mangum adjusted to post a mark of 19.90m. With his third throw of the competition, Mangum improved to 19.94m before posting his career-best 19.95m mark with his fifth throw of the competition. Fellow sophomore Gian Piero Ragonesi posted a mark of 16.26m in the men’s weight throw.
Miami also had a competitor earn a spot in the Top 10 in the women’s pentathlon as freshman Stefani Kerrison placed ninth overall with a personal-best score of 3,456.
“I thought Stefani competed really hard today,” Deem said. “I am disappointed for her, because I know she really wanted to score points for the team. That’s part of a track meet. Tomorrow is a big day for us. We have to get a lot of people through to the finals on Saturday.”
Through one day of competition, Miami’s women are in fourth place with 16 points, while the Hurricane men are tied for seventh with four points.
Friday’s events begin at noon with the men’s high jump, while the running events are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. with the women’s mile preliminaries. Saturday’s action opens at 10 a.m. with the women’s shot put and the running events begin at noon with the women’s mile final. The final day of the ACC Indoor Championships will be shown live via ESPN3, beginning at noon. There is no charge for admission to the 2015 ACC Indoor Championships.
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