The University of Mississippi Athletics
Track & Field’s Robinson-O’Hagan Dominates in SEC Shot Put Final
5/10/2024 | Track and Field
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Ole Miss track & field star sophomore Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan left little doubt in the men's shot put, dominating right from the jump en route to another conference title to lead the Rebels at Day Two of the 2024 SEC Outdoor Championships on Friday.
Just 24 hours removed from repeating as the SEC hammer champ, Robinson-O'Hagan wasted no time in establishing his presence Friday, uncorking a near foot-long outdoor PR and school record on the very first throw of competition at a whopping 20.85m/68-5. He added another 68-foot effort in the fourth round of 20.74m/68-00.50 just for good measure, even though no other thrower came within a foot and a half of his opening toss.
Combined with his historic indoor sweep of the weight throw and shot put, Robinson-O'Hagan is now the first in SEC history to have swept both those events indoors and the hammer/shot outdoors. He is also now only the third in SEC history to sweep the hammer and shot by themselves alongside Georgia's Denzel Comenentia (2017, '18) and Auburn's Cory Martin (2007, '08). Furthermore, Robinson-O'Hagan is the first to throw 68 feet in the SEC meet since Comenentia in 2018, and he is only the second to do so twice in the same series at the conference meet alongside Georgia's Brett Noon in 1995.
This is his fifth career SEC title, his third this season, in a season that also saw him become the first underclassman to win an NCAA Indoor men's shot put title since world record holder Ryan Crouser did so in 2014.
"It's exciting to keep checking these off," Robinson-O'Hagan said. "Everything I've been wanting to do, I'm doing it, so that's the best thing about what's happening right now."
His showing Friday carried extra weight, though: it gave Ole Miss throws coach John Smith the complete set of SEC titles in throwing events he coaches across the indoor and outdoor seasons. Smith's throwers have now claimed 22 total SEC titles since he and head coach Connie Price-Smith arrived in Oxford in 2015-16. Entering this weekend of competition, 25.4 percent of all throwing points scored conference-wide in that span (sans the javelin) belonged to their throwers.
"It's a big moment. Me and (assistant coach) Dempsey (McGuigan) were talking about it, giving Coach John his last Infinity Stone for SECs, winning every single event," Robinson-O'Hagan said in reference to The Avengers.
However, Smith may have added a 23rd conference title to his resume over in the women's shot put if not for a rare stroke of bad luck this week.
All-American senior Jalani Davis and breakout freshman Akaoma Odeluga were in the driver's seat from the first round, and were set to punch a huge 1-2 finish for the Rebel women, but Vanderbilt's Veronica Fraley uncorked an improvement of almost 2.5 feet on her final attempt to edge out Davis for the title by two inches.
Davis' best of the day of 18.24m/59-10.25 had stood since the first round, but Fraley's sixth-round heroics sailed 18.29m/60-00.25 to snare another title away from the Rebels. Still, Davis left with not only her second medal of the weekend, but the 11th of her spectacular career that has now seen her score an astounding 110 career points at the conference meet.
Odeluga, who had shown flashes of brilliance this year, burst through with an eye-opening 2.5 foot PR of 18.11m/59-5 – making her the No. 2 under-20 performer in the history of the United States and the No. 1 U20 performer in the world this season. This constituted Odeluga's first career SEC medal, and it also ranks her third in Ole Miss' storied record book outdoors behind two-time Olympian Raven Saunders (19.76m/64-10) and Davis herself (18.62m/61-01.25).
Ole Miss also received a medal-winning performance from sophomore Arvesta Troupe in the men's high jump final, his first career conference medal. Troupe, who entered the week with 4.25 career SEC points, finished third for a bronze medal at 2.14m/7-00.25.
On the track, five more Rebels also punched their way through the prelims to qualify for Saturday finals. Senior Jahniya Bowers claimed a time qualifier spot in the women's 100-meter dash at 11.33 (-0.8), sophomore Sophie Baumann (4:20.86, PR) and junior Madison Hulsey (4:21.81) got through the women's 1500-meter prelims, junior Toby Gillen earned an AQ in the men's 1500-meter at 3:46.09, and senior Ahmad Young Jr. advanced to the men's 110-meter hurdles final after earning an AQ at 13.71 (+1.2).
Ole Miss will conclude its stay at the 2024 SEC Outdoor Championships on Saturday, beginning with the men's discus at 2 p.m. CT. The Rebels sit in second in the men's team standings at 40 total points, while the Rebel women rank third at 34 points.
Day Two Men's Team Scores (Through Eight Scored Events)
1. #5 Arkansas – 55
2. Ole Miss – 40
3. #4 Alabama – 39
4. #2 Texas A&M – 38
5. #1 Florida – 28
6. #22 Georgia – 27
T7. #3 LSU – 18
T7. #20 South Carolina – 18
T9. #15 Mississippi State – 11
T9. #14 Tennessee – 11
T11. #12 Kentucky – 10
T11. Missouri – 10
13. #10 Auburn – 7
Day Two Women's Team Scores (Through Eight Scored Events)
1. #4 Texas A&M – 45
2. #7 Florida – 38
3. #12 Ole Miss – 34
4. #15 Alabama – 33
5. #2 Arkansas – 31
6. Vanderbilt – 27
7. Kentucky – 23
8. #8 Georgia – 21
9. #10 Tennessee – 15
10. #1 LSU – 11
T11. Auburn – 10
T11. Mississippi State – 10
13. Missouri – 8
14. #6 South Carolina - 6
Day Two Medalists
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Shot Put, Gold Medal
Jalani Davis – Women's Shot Put, Silver Medal
Akaoma Odeluga – Women's Shot Put, Bronze Medal
Arvesta Troupe – Men's High Jump, Bronze Medal
Day Two Finals Qualifiers
Sophie Baumann – Women's 1500-Meter
Jahniya Bowers – Women's 100-Meter Dash
Toby Gillen – Men's 1500-Meter
Madison Hulsey – Women's 1500-Meter
Ahmad Young Jr. – Men's 110-Meter Hurdles
Day One Medalists
Jasmine Mitchell – Women's Hammer, Gold Medal
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Hammer, Gold Medal
Jake Dalton – Men's Hammer, Silver Medal
Jalani Davis – Women's Hammer, Bronze Medal
Other Day One Scorers
Costen Campion – Men's Hammer, 4th Place
Skylar Soli – Women's Hammer, 5th Place
Mason Hickel – Men's Hammer, 8th Place
Day One Finals Qualifiers
McKenzie Long – Women's 200-Meter Dash
Gabrielle Matthews – Women's 400-Meter Hurdles
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Women's 100-Meter Dash (Prelims)
8. Jahniya Bowers – 11.33q (-0.8)
16. Akilah Lewis – 11.57 (+0.3) – Wind-Legal SB
Women's 1500-Meter (Prelims)
4. Sophie Baumann – 4:20.86 (AQ) – PR, No. 9 Ole Miss History
5. Madison Hulsey – 4:21.81q
27. Frances Luna – 4:37.48
Men's 1500-Meter (Prelims)
2. Toby Gillen – 3:46.09 (AQ) – Season Debut
13. Gabe Scales – 3:47.19
14. Cruz Gomez – 3:47.25
16. Evan Thornton-Sherman – 3:47.52
25. Cole Piotrowski – 3:52.99
29. Landen McNair – 3:53.49
33. Connor Henson – 3:57.08
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
7. Ahmad Young Jr. – 13.71AQ (+1.2)
Women's 3000-Meter Steeplechase (Final)
13. Hannah Ielfield – 10:49.88
18. Ainhoa Brea – 11:02.52 – SB, No. 13 Ole Miss History
Men's High Jump (Final)
3. Arvesta Troupe – 2.14m/7-00.25
12. Guy Bond – 2.04m/6-08.25
Women's Pole Vault (Final)
9. Samara McConnell – 4.03m/13-02.50
NH Mary Cate Doughty
Men's Long Jump (Final)
15. Guy Bond – 6.67m/21-10.75 (-2.7)
Women's Shot Put (Final)
2. Jalani Davis – 18.24m/59-10.25
3. Akaoma Odeluga – 18.11m/59-5 – PR, No. 2 U.S. U20 History, No. 3 Ole Miss History, No. 29 World U20 History, 2024 NCAA No. 10, 2024 World U20 No. 1
10. Jasmine Mitchell – 16.65m/54-07.50
12. Mensi Stiff – 16.43m/53-11
Men's Shot Put (Final)
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 20.85m/68-5 – Outdoor PR, School Record, No. 20 World, No. 7 U.S., No. 1 NCAA
11. Mason Hickel – 17.79m/58-04.50 – PR, No. 6 Ole Miss History
Men's Decathlon
Pierce Genereux – 5,945 Points, 9th Place
100-Meter Dash: 11th, 11.86 (+0.5) – 679 points
Long Jump: 11th, 5.98m/19-07.50 (+2.0) – 582 points
Shot Put: 8th, 11.81m/38-9 – 595 points
High Jump: T-10th, 1.71m/5-07.25 – 552 points
400-Meter Dash: 10th, 54.77 – 608 points
110-Meter Hurdles: 10th, 16.58 (+1.0) – 669 points
Discus: 6th, 35.39m/116-1 – 572 points
Pole Vault: T-3rd, 4.60m/15-1 – 790 points, Outdoor SB
Javelin: 10th, 37.72m/123-9 – 409 points
1500-Meter: 9th, 5:12.69 – 489 points
-----
REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Women's 200-Meter (Prelims)
2. McKenzie Long – 22.37 (+0.6) – Wind-Legal SB, No. 8 World, No. 4 U.S.
Women's 800-Meter (Prelims)
10. Jo-Lauren Keane – 2:07.50
Men's 800-Meter (Prelims)
13. Chase Rose – 1:49.12
21. Carson Turner – 1:51.37
26. Marcus Dropik – 1:52.18
DNF Cade Flatt
Women's 10K (Final)
9. Sarah Schiffmann – 34:48.84 – PR, No. 10 Ole Miss History
10. Ryann Helmers – 34:56.73 – Season Debut
14. Skylar Boogerd – 35:18.56
Men's 10K (Final)
13. Aiden Britt – 30:59.85
DNF Dereck Elkins
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
2. Gabrielle Matthews – 55.82 – PR, School Record, No. 16 World, No. 1 Jamaica, No. 4 NCAA
Women's Hammer (Final)
1. Jasmine Mitchell – 68.06m/223-3
3. Jalani Davis – 66.79m/219-1
5. Skylar Soli – 62.18m/204-0 – PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
12. Akaoma Odeluga – 51.77m/169-10
13. Naomi Woolfolk – 50.34m/165-02 – PR
Men's Hammer (Final)
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 70.17m/230-2
2. Jake Dalton – 68.43m/224-6 – PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History, No. 22 NCAA
4. Costen Campion – 62.85m/206-2
8. Mason Hickel – 60.25m/197-8
12. Joseph Lanham – 54.74m/179-7
Women's Javelin (Final)
14. Abigail Green – 41.26m/135-4
Men's Javelin (Final)
10. Jake Railey – 68.31m/224-1
Just 24 hours removed from repeating as the SEC hammer champ, Robinson-O'Hagan wasted no time in establishing his presence Friday, uncorking a near foot-long outdoor PR and school record on the very first throw of competition at a whopping 20.85m/68-5. He added another 68-foot effort in the fourth round of 20.74m/68-00.50 just for good measure, even though no other thrower came within a foot and a half of his opening toss.
Combined with his historic indoor sweep of the weight throw and shot put, Robinson-O'Hagan is now the first in SEC history to have swept both those events indoors and the hammer/shot outdoors. He is also now only the third in SEC history to sweep the hammer and shot by themselves alongside Georgia's Denzel Comenentia (2017, '18) and Auburn's Cory Martin (2007, '08). Furthermore, Robinson-O'Hagan is the first to throw 68 feet in the SEC meet since Comenentia in 2018, and he is only the second to do so twice in the same series at the conference meet alongside Georgia's Brett Noon in 1995.
This is his fifth career SEC title, his third this season, in a season that also saw him become the first underclassman to win an NCAA Indoor men's shot put title since world record holder Ryan Crouser did so in 2014.
"It's exciting to keep checking these off," Robinson-O'Hagan said. "Everything I've been wanting to do, I'm doing it, so that's the best thing about what's happening right now."
His showing Friday carried extra weight, though: it gave Ole Miss throws coach John Smith the complete set of SEC titles in throwing events he coaches across the indoor and outdoor seasons. Smith's throwers have now claimed 22 total SEC titles since he and head coach Connie Price-Smith arrived in Oxford in 2015-16. Entering this weekend of competition, 25.4 percent of all throwing points scored conference-wide in that span (sans the javelin) belonged to their throwers.
"It's a big moment. Me and (assistant coach) Dempsey (McGuigan) were talking about it, giving Coach John his last Infinity Stone for SECs, winning every single event," Robinson-O'Hagan said in reference to The Avengers.
However, Smith may have added a 23rd conference title to his resume over in the women's shot put if not for a rare stroke of bad luck this week.
All-American senior Jalani Davis and breakout freshman Akaoma Odeluga were in the driver's seat from the first round, and were set to punch a huge 1-2 finish for the Rebel women, but Vanderbilt's Veronica Fraley uncorked an improvement of almost 2.5 feet on her final attempt to edge out Davis for the title by two inches.
Davis' best of the day of 18.24m/59-10.25 had stood since the first round, but Fraley's sixth-round heroics sailed 18.29m/60-00.25 to snare another title away from the Rebels. Still, Davis left with not only her second medal of the weekend, but the 11th of her spectacular career that has now seen her score an astounding 110 career points at the conference meet.
Odeluga, who had shown flashes of brilliance this year, burst through with an eye-opening 2.5 foot PR of 18.11m/59-5 – making her the No. 2 under-20 performer in the history of the United States and the No. 1 U20 performer in the world this season. This constituted Odeluga's first career SEC medal, and it also ranks her third in Ole Miss' storied record book outdoors behind two-time Olympian Raven Saunders (19.76m/64-10) and Davis herself (18.62m/61-01.25).
Ole Miss also received a medal-winning performance from sophomore Arvesta Troupe in the men's high jump final, his first career conference medal. Troupe, who entered the week with 4.25 career SEC points, finished third for a bronze medal at 2.14m/7-00.25.
On the track, five more Rebels also punched their way through the prelims to qualify for Saturday finals. Senior Jahniya Bowers claimed a time qualifier spot in the women's 100-meter dash at 11.33 (-0.8), sophomore Sophie Baumann (4:20.86, PR) and junior Madison Hulsey (4:21.81) got through the women's 1500-meter prelims, junior Toby Gillen earned an AQ in the men's 1500-meter at 3:46.09, and senior Ahmad Young Jr. advanced to the men's 110-meter hurdles final after earning an AQ at 13.71 (+1.2).
Ole Miss will conclude its stay at the 2024 SEC Outdoor Championships on Saturday, beginning with the men's discus at 2 p.m. CT. The Rebels sit in second in the men's team standings at 40 total points, while the Rebel women rank third at 34 points.
Day Two Men's Team Scores (Through Eight Scored Events)
1. #5 Arkansas – 55
2. Ole Miss – 40
3. #4 Alabama – 39
4. #2 Texas A&M – 38
5. #1 Florida – 28
6. #22 Georgia – 27
T7. #3 LSU – 18
T7. #20 South Carolina – 18
T9. #15 Mississippi State – 11
T9. #14 Tennessee – 11
T11. #12 Kentucky – 10
T11. Missouri – 10
13. #10 Auburn – 7
Day Two Women's Team Scores (Through Eight Scored Events)
1. #4 Texas A&M – 45
2. #7 Florida – 38
3. #12 Ole Miss – 34
4. #15 Alabama – 33
5. #2 Arkansas – 31
6. Vanderbilt – 27
7. Kentucky – 23
8. #8 Georgia – 21
9. #10 Tennessee – 15
10. #1 LSU – 11
T11. Auburn – 10
T11. Mississippi State – 10
13. Missouri – 8
14. #6 South Carolina - 6
Day Two Medalists
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Shot Put, Gold Medal
Jalani Davis – Women's Shot Put, Silver Medal
Akaoma Odeluga – Women's Shot Put, Bronze Medal
Arvesta Troupe – Men's High Jump, Bronze Medal
Day Two Finals Qualifiers
Sophie Baumann – Women's 1500-Meter
Jahniya Bowers – Women's 100-Meter Dash
Toby Gillen – Men's 1500-Meter
Madison Hulsey – Women's 1500-Meter
Ahmad Young Jr. – Men's 110-Meter Hurdles
Day One Medalists
Jasmine Mitchell – Women's Hammer, Gold Medal
Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – Men's Hammer, Gold Medal
Jake Dalton – Men's Hammer, Silver Medal
Jalani Davis – Women's Hammer, Bronze Medal
Other Day One Scorers
Costen Campion – Men's Hammer, 4th Place
Skylar Soli – Women's Hammer, 5th Place
Mason Hickel – Men's Hammer, 8th Place
Day One Finals Qualifiers
McKenzie Long – Women's 200-Meter Dash
Gabrielle Matthews – Women's 400-Meter Hurdles
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
Women's 100-Meter Dash (Prelims)
8. Jahniya Bowers – 11.33q (-0.8)
16. Akilah Lewis – 11.57 (+0.3) – Wind-Legal SB
Women's 1500-Meter (Prelims)
4. Sophie Baumann – 4:20.86 (AQ) – PR, No. 9 Ole Miss History
5. Madison Hulsey – 4:21.81q
27. Frances Luna – 4:37.48
Men's 1500-Meter (Prelims)
2. Toby Gillen – 3:46.09 (AQ) – Season Debut
13. Gabe Scales – 3:47.19
14. Cruz Gomez – 3:47.25
16. Evan Thornton-Sherman – 3:47.52
25. Cole Piotrowski – 3:52.99
29. Landen McNair – 3:53.49
33. Connor Henson – 3:57.08
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
7. Ahmad Young Jr. – 13.71AQ (+1.2)
Women's 3000-Meter Steeplechase (Final)
13. Hannah Ielfield – 10:49.88
18. Ainhoa Brea – 11:02.52 – SB, No. 13 Ole Miss History
Men's High Jump (Final)
3. Arvesta Troupe – 2.14m/7-00.25
12. Guy Bond – 2.04m/6-08.25
Women's Pole Vault (Final)
9. Samara McConnell – 4.03m/13-02.50
NH Mary Cate Doughty
Men's Long Jump (Final)
15. Guy Bond – 6.67m/21-10.75 (-2.7)
Women's Shot Put (Final)
2. Jalani Davis – 18.24m/59-10.25
3. Akaoma Odeluga – 18.11m/59-5 – PR, No. 2 U.S. U20 History, No. 3 Ole Miss History, No. 29 World U20 History, 2024 NCAA No. 10, 2024 World U20 No. 1
10. Jasmine Mitchell – 16.65m/54-07.50
12. Mensi Stiff – 16.43m/53-11
Men's Shot Put (Final)
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 20.85m/68-5 – Outdoor PR, School Record, No. 20 World, No. 7 U.S., No. 1 NCAA
11. Mason Hickel – 17.79m/58-04.50 – PR, No. 6 Ole Miss History
Men's Decathlon
Pierce Genereux – 5,945 Points, 9th Place
100-Meter Dash: 11th, 11.86 (+0.5) – 679 points
Long Jump: 11th, 5.98m/19-07.50 (+2.0) – 582 points
Shot Put: 8th, 11.81m/38-9 – 595 points
High Jump: T-10th, 1.71m/5-07.25 – 552 points
400-Meter Dash: 10th, 54.77 – 608 points
110-Meter Hurdles: 10th, 16.58 (+1.0) – 669 points
Discus: 6th, 35.39m/116-1 – 572 points
Pole Vault: T-3rd, 4.60m/15-1 – 790 points, Outdoor SB
Javelin: 10th, 37.72m/123-9 – 409 points
1500-Meter: 9th, 5:12.69 – 489 points
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REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
Women's 200-Meter (Prelims)
2. McKenzie Long – 22.37 (+0.6) – Wind-Legal SB, No. 8 World, No. 4 U.S.
Women's 800-Meter (Prelims)
10. Jo-Lauren Keane – 2:07.50
Men's 800-Meter (Prelims)
13. Chase Rose – 1:49.12
21. Carson Turner – 1:51.37
26. Marcus Dropik – 1:52.18
DNF Cade Flatt
Women's 10K (Final)
9. Sarah Schiffmann – 34:48.84 – PR, No. 10 Ole Miss History
10. Ryann Helmers – 34:56.73 – Season Debut
14. Skylar Boogerd – 35:18.56
Men's 10K (Final)
13. Aiden Britt – 30:59.85
DNF Dereck Elkins
Women's 400-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
2. Gabrielle Matthews – 55.82 – PR, School Record, No. 16 World, No. 1 Jamaica, No. 4 NCAA
Women's Hammer (Final)
1. Jasmine Mitchell – 68.06m/223-3
3. Jalani Davis – 66.79m/219-1
5. Skylar Soli – 62.18m/204-0 – PR, No. 5 Ole Miss History
12. Akaoma Odeluga – 51.77m/169-10
13. Naomi Woolfolk – 50.34m/165-02 – PR
Men's Hammer (Final)
1. Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan – 70.17m/230-2
2. Jake Dalton – 68.43m/224-6 – PR, No. 3 Ole Miss History, No. 22 NCAA
4. Costen Campion – 62.85m/206-2
8. Mason Hickel – 60.25m/197-8
12. Joseph Lanham – 54.74m/179-7
Women's Javelin (Final)
14. Abigail Green – 41.26m/135-4
Men's Javelin (Final)
10. Jake Railey – 68.31m/224-1
Players Mentioned
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Pole Vault
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Distance
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Javelin
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/ Track and FieldThe Season: New Heights (2025)
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