FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2021 – COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT: Shawn Price
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Online Version: https://bit.ly/3wduW3v
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Andrew Kibet claimed the silver medal in the 3,000m steeplechase while bronze medals were attained by Daniel Spejcher in the decathlon and LaQuan Nairn in the long jump to highlight the Razorbacks performances on the second day of the SEC Championships.
Scoring 36 points in three finals, with 17 points in the steeplechase, 11 points in the decathlon and adding eight more in the long jump, kept Arkansas in the overall team lead with 58 points.
Alabama is currently second with 51 points and are followed by Tennessee (41), LSU (38), Florida (30), and Mississippi State (23).
In qualifying, the Razorbacks advanced six more athletes to Saturday’s finals and the outlook is a very close finish for the team title between Arkansas, LSU, and Alabama.
Three career best performances were turned in during the steeplechase as Kibet clocked 8:50.49 with a runner-up finish to the winning time of 8:47.18 by Alabama’s Vincent Kiprop, who also won the 10,000m the previous night.
Emmanuel Cheboson ran 8:56.11 to place fourth while Carter Persyn finished in 8:55.92 for fifth.
The decathlon combo of Spejcher and Tyler Brendel scored 11 points as they were only separated by eight points with their scores. Spejcher securing the bronze medal with 7,479 points while Brendel placed fourth with a tally of 7,471 points. They are now No. 9 and No. 10 on the UA all-time list.
Spejcher second day started with a 14.69 in the 110m hurdles (887), included a 135-7 discus (692), career best 16-0 ¾ pole vault (880), javelin toss of 177-0 (647) and a 4:52.10 in the 1,500 (606).
Brendel posted a 14.66 in the 110m hurdles (891), added a 130-5 discus (660), a 15-9 (849) pole vault, javelin throw of 169-9 (615) and a 4:32.04 in the 1,500 (731).
Nairn also had a career best performance in the long jump with a leap of 26-4 ½ (8.04) to place third while teammate John Baker finished seventh with a mark of 24-11 ¼ (7.60).
Advancing to the finals from prelim races were a trio of Razorback hurdlers with Phillip Lemonious (13.38w), Tre’Bien Gilbert (13.62), and Carl Elliott, III (13.72w). They were joined by Amon Kemboi in the 1,500 (3:46.91), James Milholen in the 400m, with a career best 45.98 that ranks No. 9 on the UA all-time list, and Roman Turner in the 100m (10.34).
Arkansas Medalist
10,000: Gilbert Boit – Silver, Luke Meade – Bronze
Decathlon: Daniel Spejcher - Bronze
Steeplechase: Andrew Kibet - Silver
Long Jump: LaQuan Nairn - Bronze
Arkansas Qualifiers to Finals
200: Jalen Brown
400H: Nickolas Hilson
110H: Phillip Lemonious, Carl Elliott, III, Tre’Bien Gilbert
1,500: Amon Kemboi
400: James Milholen
100: Roman Turner