OU Adds Three All-Americans on Friday
EUGENE, Ore. — Mookie Salaam, Karen Shump and K.P. Singh picked up All-America honors Friday at the 2010 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. A redshirt-freshman, Shump extended her own Oklahoma record in the shot put as she finished second while Salaam became the 14th member of the OU men’s program to earn two All-America honors at the same meet and just the second ever to accomplish the feat in two individual events. With the result in front of 11,972 fans, Singh became Oklahoma’s first ever All-American in the hammer throw.
The three Friday honors gives Oklahoma five All-Americans for the meet and pushes the Oklahoma program total to 374 with one day remaining in the event.
Shump was ninth in the shot put after two rounds with a top throw of 53-0.00 (16.15) before improving by over three feet with a personal best throw of 56-3.00 (17.14) on her third attempt, moving her into second, a spot she would not relinquish. The throw eclipsed Shump’s previous career best and Oklahoma record of 55-10.25 (17.02), set on May 27 at the West Prelims. Florida’s Mariam Kevkhishvilli, a two-time Olympian, won the event with a throw of 59-5.00 (18.11).
The Big 12 champion in the event, Shump earned OU’s fifth All-America honor in the women’s outdoor shot put and by earning the honor in her first collegiate season, the Media, Pa., native has the opportunity to match Cecil Hansen, who earned All-America honors in all four years of competition beginning in 1978. Shump also earned All-America honors in the event during the indoor season as she finished fourth at the Championships.
Shump was one of two Sooners in the event as Tia Brooks finished 20th with a top throw of 51-1.50 (15.58). Brooks fouled on her first and third attempts before recording her mark on the second attempt.
Salaam finished fifth in the 100-meter dash with a personal best time of 10.21 as Florida’s Jeffrey Demps claimed the title with a time of 9.96. Salaam finished second among Big 12 athletes, crossing the line just behind Texas A&M’s Gerald Phiri, who was fourth in 10.20 and edging A&M’s Curtis Mitchell at 10.23.
With the finish, Salaam becomes Oklahoma 10th All-American in the 100-meter dash, the fifth in the last seven years and the first since Marcus Pugh in 2007.
Salaam is also just the second ever athlete from the OU men’s team to earn two All-America honors at the same meet, following in the footsteps of teammate Will Claye who did so in the triple jump and long jump in 2009. Salaam earned All-America honors in the 200-meter dash Thursday as he finished ninth. The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) awards the honor to the top eight finishers in each event and extends the honor out to the top-eight American born athletes.
Had the race not been wind-aided with a north breeze of 2.5 meters-per-second behind the runners, Salaam’s time would have moved the sophomore up to third all-time on the Oklahoma performance list. Salaam currently sits fourth with a wind-legal best of 10.25.
While he did not finish in the top eight, Singh still earned All-America honors from the USTFCCCA by finishing 10th in the hammer throw with a toss of 210-3 (64.10). The throw, which came on Singh’s second attempt, is his second-longest throw of the season. Singh owns the Oklahoma record with the throw of 215-6 (65.69) he used to win this year’s Big 12 Championship with.
With the result, Singh becomes the first ever hammer throw All-American for Oklahoma and is the second men’s thrower in as many years to earn All-America honors after Luke Bryant earned the honor in the discus in 2009.
In the final event on the track for the day, Jessica Engel narrowly missed earning USTFCCCA All-America honors as she finished 12th overall in the 5,000-meter run with a personal best of 16:13.28. The time is the second fastest in Oklahoma history as Engel entered with the third fastest time, 16:20.69. Kellie Cathey (1982) owns the record of 15:59.70. Engel finish was the third best by an athlete from the Big 12 in the race and the fastest by a non-senior from the conference.
OU action at the event resumes Saturday at 9:30 a.m. with Amy Backel and Brittany Borman in the women’s javelin. OU’s Ronnie Ash will run in the finals of the 110-meter hurdles at 11:16 a.m. as he attempts to defend his 2009 title in the event. Saturday’s action will be televised on beginning at 12 p.m.
Oklahoma Final Results:
Men’s Hammer Throw: 10. K.P. Singh 210-3 (64.10)
Women’s Shot Put: 2. Karen Shump 56-3.00 (17.14); 20. Tia Brooks 51-1.50 (15.58)
Men’s 100-Meter Dash: 5. Mookie Salaam 10.21
Women’s 5,000-Meter Run: 12. Jessica Engel 16:13.28
Updated 06-12-2010
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