The University of Mississippi Athletics
Suliman Leads Fast Night at MSU’s Maroon and White Invite
4/30/2021 | Track and Field
Rebel 800-Meter Runners Clock Five NCAA Top-25 Times
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Ole Miss men's track & field distance squad asserted itself as one of the deepest 800-meter teams in the nation following blistering times from All-American Waleed Suliman and several others at a fast first night of MSU's Maroon & White Invite on Friday.
Suliman already owned the NCAA's No. 11 800-meter time entering this evening, but he dropped that time by nearly a full second as he led a tight pack of Rebels that finished second through sixth behind pro runner Marco Arop (1:44.76). Suliman was the top collegian and runner-up at 1:47.00, a new overall career-best that pushes him up to No. 5 all-time at Ole Miss, as well as No. 4 in the NCAA and No. 9 in the United States this season. At the moment, Suliman is the only American citizen this outdoor season to have run 1:47 in the 800-meter and 3:37 in the 1500-meter. On April 10, Suliman clocked a U.S. Olympic Trials standard in the 1500 at 3:36.53.
Baylor Franklin was third at a big personal best himself at 1:47.55, the seventh-best in school history that pushes him up to No. 10 in the NCAA and No. 15 in the U.S. this season. Suliman's and Franklin's performances tonight make Ole Miss one of two schools (alongside Oregon) to have multiple 800-meter runners in the NCAA top-10 this season.
Mario Garcia Romo was stellar in his first career 800-meter race, finishing fourth at 1:47.93 – the top time by a Spaniard this season. His performance pushes him up to No. 10 all-time at Ole Miss in his first try, as well as No. 18 in the NCAA this season. John Rivera Jr. (fifth, 1:48.12, No. 13 all-time) and Everett Smulders (sixth, 1:48.31, No. 14 all-time) also joined them in the NCAA top-25 at No. 20 and No. 25, respectively.
Senior Anna Elkin continued to light the track on fire in her final campaign as a Rebel, leading a similarly deep Ole Miss contingent in the women's 1500-meter. Elkin won at a four-second PR of 4:18.31, the second-fastest time in school history and No. 30 in the NCAA East Region this season. In the last three weeks, times by Sintayehu Vissa (4:16.70), Elkin (4:18.31) and Loral Winn (4:19.00) all would have broken Shelby Brown's 2017 record of 4:19.09 that stood for nearly four full years.
All four of the remaining Rebels in the race recorded PRs: Skylar Boogerd in third place (4:22.36, No. 7 all-time), Kristel van den Berg in fourth (4:22.84, No. 11 all-time), Ryann Helmers in fifth (4:25.43, No. 15 all-time) and Cate Tracht in sixth (4:28.26).
Ole Miss went one-two in the men's 1500-meter, with Dalton Hengst winning in 3:44.02 and Michael Coccia taking runner-up at a PR of 3:44.19 (No. 11 all-time).
The Rebel throwers were also in action on Friday, with a top-three sweep in the women's hammer highlighting the day. Jasmine Mitchell was the victor at 63.21m (207-04), followed by Jalani Davis (61.99m/203-04) and Deborah Bulai (57.77m/189-06). Tedreauna Britt earned a third-place finish in the discus at 49.44m (162-02), while on the men's side the Rebels earned top-five finishes from Daniel Viveros in the discus (fourth, 47.48m/155-09) and Joseph Benedetto in the hammer (fifth, 59.70m/195-10).
The Ole Miss track & field squads will pull double-duty on Saturday, with the throwers and distance runners finishing up in Starkville while the remainder of the team opens competition in Baton Rouge at the one-day LSU Invitational. Competition is set to start at 11 a.m. CT at both meets.
REBELS IN COMPETITION
Men's 800-Meter Invitational
2. Waleed Suliman – 1:47.00 – PR, No. 5 all-time, No. 4 NCAA, No. 9 United States
3. Baylor Franklin – 1:47.55. – PR, No. 7 all-time, No. 10 NCAA, No. 15 United States
4. Mario Garcia Romo – 1:47.93 – PR, No. 10 all-time, No. 18 NCAA, No. 1 Spain
5. John Rivera Jr. – 1:48.12 – PR, No. 13 all-time, No. 20 NCAA
6. Everett Smulders – 1:48.31 – PR, No. 14 all-time, No. 25 NCAA
8. Cade Bethmann – 1:49.75
11. Jacob Lough – 1:50.89 – PR
12. Marcus Dropik – 1:51.02
Women's 1500-Meter Invitational
1. Anna Elkin – 4:18.31 – PR, No. 2 all-time, No. 30 NCAA East
3. Skylar Boogerd – 4:22.36 – PR, No. 7 all-time
4. Kristel van den Berg – 4:22.84 – PR, No. 11 all-time
5. Ryann Helmers – 4:25.43 – PR, No. 15 all-time
6. Cate Tracht – 4:28.26 – PR
Men's 1500-Meter Invitational
1. Dalton Hengst – 3:44.02
2. Michael Coccia – 3:44.19 – PR, No. 11 all-time
5. Nick Moulai – 3:49.82
Women's 5K
2. Brooke Gilmore – 17:35.24 – PR
Women's Discus
3. Tedreauna Britt – 49.44m (162-02)
4. Jasmine Mitchell – 48.77m (160-00)
10. Deborah Bulai – 44.88m (147-03)
13. Jalani Davis – 42.29m (138-09)
15. Shey Taiwo – 40.88m (134-01)
Men's Discus
4. Daniel Viveros – 47.48m (155-09)
Women's Hammer
1. Jasmine Mitchell – 63.21m (207-04)
2. Jalani Davis – 61.99m (203-04)
3. Deborah Bulai – 57.77m (189-06)
Men's Hammer
5. Joseph Benedetto – 59.70m (195-10)
10. Joseph Lanham – 54.16m (177-08)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
Suliman already owned the NCAA's No. 11 800-meter time entering this evening, but he dropped that time by nearly a full second as he led a tight pack of Rebels that finished second through sixth behind pro runner Marco Arop (1:44.76). Suliman was the top collegian and runner-up at 1:47.00, a new overall career-best that pushes him up to No. 5 all-time at Ole Miss, as well as No. 4 in the NCAA and No. 9 in the United States this season. At the moment, Suliman is the only American citizen this outdoor season to have run 1:47 in the 800-meter and 3:37 in the 1500-meter. On April 10, Suliman clocked a U.S. Olympic Trials standard in the 1500 at 3:36.53.
Baylor Franklin was third at a big personal best himself at 1:47.55, the seventh-best in school history that pushes him up to No. 10 in the NCAA and No. 15 in the U.S. this season. Suliman's and Franklin's performances tonight make Ole Miss one of two schools (alongside Oregon) to have multiple 800-meter runners in the NCAA top-10 this season.
Mario Garcia Romo was stellar in his first career 800-meter race, finishing fourth at 1:47.93 – the top time by a Spaniard this season. His performance pushes him up to No. 10 all-time at Ole Miss in his first try, as well as No. 18 in the NCAA this season. John Rivera Jr. (fifth, 1:48.12, No. 13 all-time) and Everett Smulders (sixth, 1:48.31, No. 14 all-time) also joined them in the NCAA top-25 at No. 20 and No. 25, respectively.
Senior Anna Elkin continued to light the track on fire in her final campaign as a Rebel, leading a similarly deep Ole Miss contingent in the women's 1500-meter. Elkin won at a four-second PR of 4:18.31, the second-fastest time in school history and No. 30 in the NCAA East Region this season. In the last three weeks, times by Sintayehu Vissa (4:16.70), Elkin (4:18.31) and Loral Winn (4:19.00) all would have broken Shelby Brown's 2017 record of 4:19.09 that stood for nearly four full years.
All four of the remaining Rebels in the race recorded PRs: Skylar Boogerd in third place (4:22.36, No. 7 all-time), Kristel van den Berg in fourth (4:22.84, No. 11 all-time), Ryann Helmers in fifth (4:25.43, No. 15 all-time) and Cate Tracht in sixth (4:28.26).
Ole Miss went one-two in the men's 1500-meter, with Dalton Hengst winning in 3:44.02 and Michael Coccia taking runner-up at a PR of 3:44.19 (No. 11 all-time).
The Rebel throwers were also in action on Friday, with a top-three sweep in the women's hammer highlighting the day. Jasmine Mitchell was the victor at 63.21m (207-04), followed by Jalani Davis (61.99m/203-04) and Deborah Bulai (57.77m/189-06). Tedreauna Britt earned a third-place finish in the discus at 49.44m (162-02), while on the men's side the Rebels earned top-five finishes from Daniel Viveros in the discus (fourth, 47.48m/155-09) and Joseph Benedetto in the hammer (fifth, 59.70m/195-10).
The Ole Miss track & field squads will pull double-duty on Saturday, with the throwers and distance runners finishing up in Starkville while the remainder of the team opens competition in Baton Rouge at the one-day LSU Invitational. Competition is set to start at 11 a.m. CT at both meets.
REBELS IN COMPETITION
Men's 800-Meter Invitational
2. Waleed Suliman – 1:47.00 – PR, No. 5 all-time, No. 4 NCAA, No. 9 United States
3. Baylor Franklin – 1:47.55. – PR, No. 7 all-time, No. 10 NCAA, No. 15 United States
4. Mario Garcia Romo – 1:47.93 – PR, No. 10 all-time, No. 18 NCAA, No. 1 Spain
5. John Rivera Jr. – 1:48.12 – PR, No. 13 all-time, No. 20 NCAA
6. Everett Smulders – 1:48.31 – PR, No. 14 all-time, No. 25 NCAA
8. Cade Bethmann – 1:49.75
11. Jacob Lough – 1:50.89 – PR
12. Marcus Dropik – 1:51.02
Women's 1500-Meter Invitational
1. Anna Elkin – 4:18.31 – PR, No. 2 all-time, No. 30 NCAA East
3. Skylar Boogerd – 4:22.36 – PR, No. 7 all-time
4. Kristel van den Berg – 4:22.84 – PR, No. 11 all-time
5. Ryann Helmers – 4:25.43 – PR, No. 15 all-time
6. Cate Tracht – 4:28.26 – PR
Men's 1500-Meter Invitational
1. Dalton Hengst – 3:44.02
2. Michael Coccia – 3:44.19 – PR, No. 11 all-time
5. Nick Moulai – 3:49.82
Women's 5K
2. Brooke Gilmore – 17:35.24 – PR
Women's Discus
3. Tedreauna Britt – 49.44m (162-02)
4. Jasmine Mitchell – 48.77m (160-00)
10. Deborah Bulai – 44.88m (147-03)
13. Jalani Davis – 42.29m (138-09)
15. Shey Taiwo – 40.88m (134-01)
Men's Discus
4. Daniel Viveros – 47.48m (155-09)
Women's Hammer
1. Jasmine Mitchell – 63.21m (207-04)
2. Jalani Davis – 61.99m (203-04)
3. Deborah Bulai – 57.77m (189-06)
Men's Hammer
5. Joseph Benedetto – 59.70m (195-10)
10. Joseph Lanham – 54.16m (177-08)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
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