The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Fly High at Excellent Day One of Music City Challenge
2/12/2021 | Track and Field
Ole Miss Sets NCAA Lead in Weight Throw, Breaks Both Mile School Records
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ole Miss men's and women's track & field excelled at Day One of the Music City Challenge, resetting two school records and recording several impressive, highly-ranked performances on Friday night.
The story of the night ended up being a dynamite men's mile that featured six sub-four minute times – four of which came from Ole Miss. For context, four Rebels had ever broken the iconic barrier entering Friday night, and following the race the sub-four club would have two new members.
All-American senior Waleed Suliman broke his own school record to win at 3:55.60, currently the top time in the SEC and No. 2 on the NCAA descending list entering the weekend. This marks the third time Suliman has broken four minutes in his Rebel career and his second time doing so at Vanderbilt. Mario Garcia Romo, the school record holder in the 3K and reigning SEC Cross Country Champion, finished runner-up at a seven-second PR of 3:56.46, which would have broken Suliman's previous mile record himself if not for today's performances.
Everett Smulders eclipsed four minutes for the second straight meet, improving slightly to 3:58.73 to now rank No. 5 all-time. And the newest member of the club would be Baylor Franklin, who finished fifth at an 11-second PR of 3:59.12. All four times by the Rebels rank within the NCAA top-16 based on the descending list entering competition.
All-American senior Shey Taiwo, who opened her 2021 season just last week at South Carolina, asserted herself as one of the best weight throwers in the nation as she took over the NCAA lead on Friday night. Taiwo wasted no time, winning the competition on her first throw of the night at 22.79m (74-09.25), which registered as a three-inch PR and gave her the national lead over Auburn's Madi Malone (22.20m/72-10.00) by a whopping two feet. The reigning SEC Champion led an Ole Miss weight throw crew in 2020 that became the first in NCAA history to have three beyond the 22-meter plateau in a single season.
Sophomore and fellow All-American Jasmine Mitchell improved as well, finishing third at a season-best 21.88m (71-09.50) to push her to No. 6 in the NCAA. Sophomore Jalani Davis also made the final, finishing sixth at 19.82m (65-00.50).
The wild progression in the women's mile school record continued for a fourth straight meet on Friday, with newcomer and Saint Leo transfer Sintayehu Vissa shattering the top time in her first try as a Rebel. Vissa, who two weeks ago ran the fastest 800-meter time at Ole Miss since 2017 (2:06.45), bested the record by three seconds at a whopping 25-second PR of 4:40.99, the 13th-best in the NCAA this season.
Vissa's time is the latest in a recent dismantling of the women's mile record this indoor season. Senior Anna Elkin opened the year by taking down Maddie King's 2019 record of 4:46.45 with a season-opening time of 4:46.23. Sophomore Loral Winn would briefly take the record from Elkin with her 4:45.60 at the Razorback Invite. Just last week, King reclaimed the crown for herself with a three-second PR of 4:43.44, but her stay at the top of the leaderboard was short-lived after Vissa's impressive run Friday.
The Rebel distance runners also recorded several strong performances in the 5K races. Cole Bullock clocked the third-best 5K time in school history in his first attempt, finishing runner-up at 13:51.00 to become the seventh member of the sub-14 club at Ole Miss. Ben Savino notched a massive 34-second PR of 14:03.92 to finish fourth and move into 10th all-time at Ole Miss. Senior Victoria Simmons had an equally large improvement in her 5K race, where she finished fifth at a 30-second PR of 16:26.89 to rank seventh all-time in school history.
Junior Joseph Benedetto improved for the second straight week in the men's weight throw, finishing runner-up at 20.87m (68-05.75) to improve his standing in No. 2 all-time at Ole Miss and No. 20 in the NCAA this year,
Competition will resume at Vanderbilt at noon CT on Saturday with the women's shot put and women's 60-meter dash.
REBELS IN COMPETITION
Women's 200-Meter Dash
4. Ashanti Denton – 24.57
5. Olivia Womack – 24.69
8. Kelly Rowe – 25.37
Men's 200-Meter Dash
3. Tristyn Wooley – 21.74 – PR
Women's Mile
1. Sintayehu Vissa – 4:40.99 – School record, 25-second PR, No. 13 NCAA
9. Maddie King – 4:48.74
11. Loral Winn – 4:49.35
12. Kristel van den Berg – 4:49.56 – PR, No. 10 all-time
16. Skylar Boogerd – 4:53.47
Men's Mile
1. Waleed Suliman – 3:55.60 – School record, No. 2 NCAA, No. 1 SEC
2. Mario Garcia Romo – 3:56.46 – No. 2 all-time, No. 3 NCAA, No. 2 SEC
4. Everett Smulders – 3:58.73 – No. 5 all-time, No. 10 NCAA
5. Baylor Franklin – 3:59.12 – No. 6 all-time, No. 13 NCAA
18. Cade Bethmann – 4:11.15
Women's 5K
5. Victoria Simmons – 16:26.89 – 30-second PR, No. 7 all-time
12. Ryann Helmers – 16:47.59 – PR, No. 12 all-time
Men's 5K
2. Cole Bullock – 13:51.00 – No. 3 all-time, No. 3 NCAA
4. Ben Savino – 14:03.92 – 34-second PR, No. 10 all-time
Women's High Jump
3. Sara Van Aken – 1.69m (5-06.50)
Men's Pole Vault
2. Peyton Weissmann – 5.00m (16-04.75)
3. Miles Walden – 4.70m (15-05.00)
4. Ryan Roark – 4.55m (14-11.00)
Women's Weight Throw
1. Shey Taiwo – 22.79m (74-09.25) – PR, NCAA lead
3. Jasmine Mitchell – 21.88m (71-09.50) – Season-best, No. 6 NCAA
6. Jalani Davis – 19.82m (65-00.50)
Men's Weight Throw
2. Joseph Benedetto – 20.87m (68-05.75) – PR, No. 2 all-time, No. 20 NCAA
5. Joseph Lanham – 17.88m (58-08.00)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
The story of the night ended up being a dynamite men's mile that featured six sub-four minute times – four of which came from Ole Miss. For context, four Rebels had ever broken the iconic barrier entering Friday night, and following the race the sub-four club would have two new members.
𝙈𝙄𝙇𝙀 𝙈𝘼𝘿𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙎
— Ole Miss Track&Field (@OleMissTrack) February 13, 2021
4⃣ Rebels run sub-four miles!
1⃣ Waleed Suliman (3:55.60)
2⃣ Mario Garcia Romo (3:56.46)
4⃣ Everett Smulders (3:58.73)
5⃣ Baylor Franklin (3:59.12)#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/NfEr8ZdMPG
All-American senior Waleed Suliman broke his own school record to win at 3:55.60, currently the top time in the SEC and No. 2 on the NCAA descending list entering the weekend. This marks the third time Suliman has broken four minutes in his Rebel career and his second time doing so at Vanderbilt. Mario Garcia Romo, the school record holder in the 3K and reigning SEC Cross Country Champion, finished runner-up at a seven-second PR of 3:56.46, which would have broken Suliman's previous mile record himself if not for today's performances.
Everett Smulders eclipsed four minutes for the second straight meet, improving slightly to 3:58.73 to now rank No. 5 all-time. And the newest member of the club would be Baylor Franklin, who finished fifth at an 11-second PR of 3:59.12. All four times by the Rebels rank within the NCAA top-16 based on the descending list entering competition.
All-American senior Shey Taiwo, who opened her 2021 season just last week at South Carolina, asserted herself as one of the best weight throwers in the nation as she took over the NCAA lead on Friday night. Taiwo wasted no time, winning the competition on her first throw of the night at 22.79m (74-09.25), which registered as a three-inch PR and gave her the national lead over Auburn's Madi Malone (22.20m/72-10.00) by a whopping two feet. The reigning SEC Champion led an Ole Miss weight throw crew in 2020 that became the first in NCAA history to have three beyond the 22-meter plateau in a single season.
Sophomore and fellow All-American Jasmine Mitchell improved as well, finishing third at a season-best 21.88m (71-09.50) to push her to No. 6 in the NCAA. Sophomore Jalani Davis also made the final, finishing sixth at 19.82m (65-00.50).
The wild progression in the women's mile school record continued for a fourth straight meet on Friday, with newcomer and Saint Leo transfer Sintayehu Vissa shattering the top time in her first try as a Rebel. Vissa, who two weeks ago ran the fastest 800-meter time at Ole Miss since 2017 (2:06.45), bested the record by three seconds at a whopping 25-second PR of 4:40.99, the 13th-best in the NCAA this season.
Vissa's time is the latest in a recent dismantling of the women's mile record this indoor season. Senior Anna Elkin opened the year by taking down Maddie King's 2019 record of 4:46.45 with a season-opening time of 4:46.23. Sophomore Loral Winn would briefly take the record from Elkin with her 4:45.60 at the Razorback Invite. Just last week, King reclaimed the crown for herself with a three-second PR of 4:43.44, but her stay at the top of the leaderboard was short-lived after Vissa's impressive run Friday.
The Rebel distance runners also recorded several strong performances in the 5K races. Cole Bullock clocked the third-best 5K time in school history in his first attempt, finishing runner-up at 13:51.00 to become the seventh member of the sub-14 club at Ole Miss. Ben Savino notched a massive 34-second PR of 14:03.92 to finish fourth and move into 10th all-time at Ole Miss. Senior Victoria Simmons had an equally large improvement in her 5K race, where she finished fifth at a 30-second PR of 16:26.89 to rank seventh all-time in school history.
Junior Joseph Benedetto improved for the second straight week in the men's weight throw, finishing runner-up at 20.87m (68-05.75) to improve his standing in No. 2 all-time at Ole Miss and No. 20 in the NCAA this year,
Competition will resume at Vanderbilt at noon CT on Saturday with the women's shot put and women's 60-meter dash.
REBELS IN COMPETITION
Women's 200-Meter Dash
4. Ashanti Denton – 24.57
5. Olivia Womack – 24.69
8. Kelly Rowe – 25.37
Men's 200-Meter Dash
3. Tristyn Wooley – 21.74 – PR
Women's Mile
1. Sintayehu Vissa – 4:40.99 – School record, 25-second PR, No. 13 NCAA
9. Maddie King – 4:48.74
11. Loral Winn – 4:49.35
12. Kristel van den Berg – 4:49.56 – PR, No. 10 all-time
16. Skylar Boogerd – 4:53.47
Men's Mile
1. Waleed Suliman – 3:55.60 – School record, No. 2 NCAA, No. 1 SEC
2. Mario Garcia Romo – 3:56.46 – No. 2 all-time, No. 3 NCAA, No. 2 SEC
4. Everett Smulders – 3:58.73 – No. 5 all-time, No. 10 NCAA
5. Baylor Franklin – 3:59.12 – No. 6 all-time, No. 13 NCAA
18. Cade Bethmann – 4:11.15
Women's 5K
5. Victoria Simmons – 16:26.89 – 30-second PR, No. 7 all-time
12. Ryann Helmers – 16:47.59 – PR, No. 12 all-time
Men's 5K
2. Cole Bullock – 13:51.00 – No. 3 all-time, No. 3 NCAA
4. Ben Savino – 14:03.92 – 34-second PR, No. 10 all-time
Women's High Jump
3. Sara Van Aken – 1.69m (5-06.50)
Men's Pole Vault
2. Peyton Weissmann – 5.00m (16-04.75)
3. Miles Walden – 4.70m (15-05.00)
4. Ryan Roark – 4.55m (14-11.00)
Women's Weight Throw
1. Shey Taiwo – 22.79m (74-09.25) – PR, NCAA lead
3. Jasmine Mitchell – 21.88m (71-09.50) – Season-best, No. 6 NCAA
6. Jalani Davis – 19.82m (65-00.50)
Men's Weight Throw
2. Joseph Benedetto – 20.87m (68-05.75) – PR, No. 2 all-time, No. 20 NCAA
5. Joseph Lanham – 17.88m (58-08.00)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and FieldDistance
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Distance
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and FieldINTERVIEW: Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan Talks NCAA Shot Three-Peat
Saturday, March 14
HIGHLIGHTS: Alicia Burnett Finishes Fourth in NCAA 60-Meter Final
Saturday, March 14
HIGHLIGHTS: Akaoma Odeluga Finishes NCAA Runner-Up in Shot Put
Saturday, March 14
HIGHLIGHTS: Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan Wins Third Straight NCAA Indoor Shot Put Title
Saturday, March 14