Published: May 09, 2008 11:59 pm            

Impressive performance

Cralle dominates hammer throw to claim gold, set new Southland Conference record

Having already qualified for the NCAA Regionals earlier in the outdoor season, Sam Houston State sophomore Chris Cralle headed into Friday’s opening day of the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships with a goal of 200 feet in the hammer throw.

Not only did Cralle accomplish that feat to win first place, but broke a conference record in the process.

“We really had some great competition today,” Cralle said after receiving his gold medal. “Everybody stepped up and everybody did well. I think that’s the most important thing — when you’re in a competition and everybody does their best.”

After seeing Stephen F. Austin’s Matt Langdon throw 57.70 meters, Cralle, in his first attempt in the preliminary round, chucked the hammer 60.13 meters (197 feet, 3 inches), breaking a Southland Conference and a York Track and Field Complex at Bowers Stadium record.

The previous Southland Conference record was held by Texas State’s Robert Melin, who set the mark of 57.88 meters at last year’s SLC meet at Stephen F. Austin. Texas-Arlington’s Kelley Jackson set the record at the York Complex with a distance of 51.2 meters in 2005.

As good as Cralle’s first attempt was, he wasn’t satisfied because he didn’t quite make it out to 200 feet.

On his next attempt, Cralle broke his own record, throwing the hammer a distance of 60.9 meters (199 feet, 10 inches) just shy of his goal.

But on his first attempt in the finals, Cralle busted through and broke records a third time, throwing 61.02 meters (200 feet, 2 inches).

“I wanted to throw over what I threw, but I was happy to throw 200,” Cralle said. “After throwing 199-10, it was a relief to throw 200.”

Cralle proved to be too much for the field as the closest any of the other participants got was Langdon’s first attempt. Cralle was also the only finalist not to fault on any of his six attempts.

“(Winning) is a good thing,” Cralle said. “The conference has gotten stronger every year that they’ve had the hammer. It’s a relatively young event. It’s just good that everybody’s stepping up at the conference meet.”

Langdon took the silver medal, while McNeese State’s Freddie Hannie won the bronze, throwing 57.53 meters to also earn a spot in the regionals.

The Bearkats also got a medal-winning performance from Kendall Bass in the women’s hammer throw.

Despite suffering through an injury the past couple of weeks, Bass, who had previously qualified for the NCAA regionals, took the bronze with a distance of 50.4 meters.

“I’ve been having trouble with an injury,” Bass said. “But I threw OK. It wasn’t my best meet, but I still have regionals.”

Stephen F. Austin’s Frednisha Marshall took second place, throwing for 52.65 meters and Southeastern Louisiana’s Collena Collins won the gold with a distance of 54.58 meters.

In his first conference track meet, SHSU freshman Kelby-Shandy Kerby qualified for the finals in the men’s javelin, but finished ninth.

Texas State sophomore Jonathan Ochoa took the gold, while McNeese State’s Carlese Franklin and Ben Chretien won the silver and bronze, respectively.

        

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