University of Tennessee Athletics
Coleman Claims SEC Sprint Double
May 13, 2017 | Track & Field
Photos | Final Results | Notes | Live Results | Championship Central
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA -- Tennessee junior Christian Coleman posted the fourth-fastest times in the world this season in the 100- and 200-meter dashes to capture an impressive sprint double Saturday afternoon on the final day of the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Sheila and Morris Cregger Track.
Including his leg on UT's 4x100m relay, Coleman accumulated 20.5 points in the meet. As the high-point scorer in the men's competition, he was awarded the SEC Commissioner's Trophy. It marked the 13th time a Vol has earned that distinction, and he is the first Tennessee man since Chris Helwick in 2006 to be so honored.
Coleman became the fourth sprinter in UT men's track history to claim both crowns at the league's outdoor meet, following in the footsteps of Justin Gatlin (2002), Gary Wagner (1969) and Jim Webster (1964, 1966). He now has four SEC titles to his credit, also winning the 60m dash indoors in 2016 and 2017.
In the 100, Coleman overcame potential disappointment, blazing to a season-best time of 9.97 despite the shoestring on his left spike coming untied and loosening his footwear. The victory was his first SEC Outdoor crown and followed NCAA Indoor titles in the 60 and 200 meters earlier this season. He was the runner-up in the league's outdoor 100m dash a year ago.
Coleman's mark is the No. 1 time in the collegiate ranks as well as the No. 4 time in the world this season. He became the eighth UT man to win the SEC straight sprint and gave the program its ninth overall 100m league crown. The last to win it was Justin Gatlin in 2002.
Teammate Mustaqeem Williams contributed to the Vols' run of 14 points in the event, staking claim to fifth place with a season-best readout of 10.33. The sophomore was eighth at this meet a year ago as a freshman.
Coleman returned to the track an hour later, unleashing a career-best mark of 19.98 seconds to seize victory in the 200 meters. The realization of what he had accomplished caused the typically-reserved Coleman to out-stretch his arms as he crossed the finish line and soon afterward release his swell of emotion with a hearty roar.
His marks stands second on UT's top performers list to only Justin Gatlin's 19.86 mark in 2002. It also was the top collegiate mark this season and the No. 4 time in the world in 2017.
The title by Coleman made him the eighth Vol to win the men's outdoor 200 meters and was the 11th overall crown. The last to win an SEC Outdoor 200m championship race was Rubin Williams in 2007.
Sophomore Zach Long continued a common Tennessee theme throughout the meet, becoming yet another underclassman to find a way to put points on the board in what is considered the nation's toughest track & field conference. In covering the 5000 meters in 13 minutes, 54.49 seconds, Long secured a fourth-place finish and became the fastest Vol in that event since Todd Williams and Glenn Morgan in 1991.
Another example of the youth movement came from freshman pole vaulter Tristan Slater, who warmed up during a steady downpour and overcame a lengthy rain delay to punch out a tie for sixth place in the men's pole vault. He was able to navigate the bar at 16-7.50 (5.07m) on a day that saw six vaulters no-height.
In the first event of the day, another freshman, Tamia Crockett, secured points in her second event of the weekend with a sixth-place finish in the women's discus throw. After taking eighth in the shot put on Friday, she dealt with the rain admirably to card a 164-feet, three-inch mark of record on her first attempt that was good enough to hold up for a place on the scoreboard.
In the 4x100m relay, the Tennessee women grabbed sixth in 44.27 seconds, with junior Cidae'a Woods, junior Shania Collins, sophomore Lenysse Dyer and sophomore Maia McCoy carrying the baton. In the men's race, the quartet of sophomore Darryl Harris, Coleman, junior Malik Elion and Williams moved the stick around the rain-soaked oval in a season-best 39.44 to place seventh.
With Coleman and Shania Collins held out the 4x400m relays after extensive activity over the three-day meet, Tennessee was unable to tally points in the meet's final event. The men finished the meet ninth with 45.5 points, while the women were 11th with 27 points.
RESULTS
Thursday's Results
Women's Competitors
200m Prelims: 9. Shania Collins, 22.95 (+1.5) (3rd/ht.1); 18. Lenysse Dyer, 23.32 (+1.1) (3rd/ht. 2); 30. Maia McCoy, 23.87 (+1.6) (6th/ht. 3)
400m Hurdles Prelims: 12. Brooklynn Broadwater (1:00.36) (4th/ht. 2)
Hammer Throw: 2. Stamatia Scarvelis, 63.79m (209-3); 7. Candice Butler, 58.97m (193-5); 17. Savannah Marlow, 48.65m (159-7)
100m Hurdles (Heptathlon): 12. Maya Neal, 14.19 (+3.7) (952 points)
High Jump (Heptathlon): 11. Maya Neal, 1.59m (5-2.50) (724 points)
Shot Put (Heptathlon): 6. Maya Neal, 11.81m (38-9) (649 points)
200m (Heptathlon): 7. Maya Neal, 24.85 (+1.3) (901 points)
Heptathlon First Day: 9. Maya Neal, 3226 points
Men's Competitors
200m Prelims: 2. Christian Coleman, 20.19 (+2.3) (1st/ht. 3); 10. Mustaqeem Williams, 20.59 (+3.3) (3rd/ht. 5); 25. Malik Elion 21.34 (+2.3) (5th/ht. 3)
Hammer: 7. Seth Whitener, 65.52m (214-11); 14. Cameron Brown, 61.60m (202-1); NM. Matthew Zajac, F
Javelin: 15. Nick Hassler 53.21m (174-7)
Friday's Results
Women's Competitors
100m Prelims: 10. Shania Collins, 11.34 (+1.4) (2nd/ht. 2); 26. Maia McCoy, 11.74 (+0.4) (7th/ht. 3)
400m Prelims: 17. Layla White, 54.15 (4th/ht. 5)
Shot Put: 4. Stamatia Scarvelis, 16.25m (53-3.75); 8. Tamia Crockett, 14.50m (47-7); 11. Cassie Wertman, 14.34m (47-0.75)
Long Jump: 7. Cidae'a Woods, 6.40m (21-0) (-1.2); 16. Maya Neal, 5.90m (19-4.25) (+1.3)
Long Jump (Heptathlon): 5. Maya Neal, 5.87m (19-3.75) (+2.3) (810 points)
Javelin (Heptathlon): 2. Maya Neal, 37.47m, (122-11) (619 points)
800m (Heptathlon): 6. Maya Neal, 2:22.66 (788 points)
Heptathlon Final Score: 6. Maya Neal, 5,443 points
Men's Competitors
100m Prelims: 1. Christian Coleman, 10.03 (+0.7) (1st/ht. 1); 9. (3rd/ht. 1) Mustaqeem Williams, 10.33 (+0.7) (3rd, ht. 1); 26. Malik Elion, 10.76 (+0.9) (6th/ht. 4)
400m Prelims: 16. Nathan Strother, 46.65 (3rd/ht. 4); 19. Ari Cogdell, 47.00 (4th/ht. 1)
1500m Prelims: 18. Zach Long, 3:51.62 (4th/ht. 2); 27. Drew Kelley, 3:57.05 (9th/ht. 3); 31. Adam Johnston, 3:59.86 (10th/ht. 2)
High Jump: 5. Darryl Sullivan, 2.15m (7-0.50)
Discus: 3. Matthew Zajac, 58.22 (191-0)
Saturday's Results
Women's Competitors
200m: 9. Shania Collins, 23.76
4x100m Relay: 6. Tennessee (Cidae'a Woods/Shania Collins/Lenysse Dyer/Maia McCoy), 44.27
4x400m Relay: 11. Tennessee (Lenysse Dyer/Maia McCoy/Brooklyn Broadwater/Layla White), 3:39.44
Triple Jump: 14. Cidae'a Woods, 12.02m (39-5.25) (-1.8); 15. Brielyn Rogers, 12.01m (39-5) (n/a); 20. LaChyna Roe, 11.81m (38-9) (n/a)
Discus: 6. Tamia Crockett, 50.06m (164-3); NM Stamatia Scarvelis, F
Men's Competitors
100m: 1. Christian Coleman, 9.97; 5. Mustaqeem Williams, 10.33
200m: 1. Christian Coleman, 19.98
5000m: 4. Zach Long, 13:54.49; 24. Brad Swiney, 14:36.46; 34. Wesley Robinson, 14:49.05; NM Drew Kelley, DNF; NM Adam Johnston, DNF
4x100m Relay: 7. Tennessee (Darryl Harris/Christian Coleman/Mark Elion/Mustaqeem Williams), 39.44
4x400m Relay: 9. Tennessee (Nathan Strother/Mustaqeem Williams/Darryl Harris/Ari Cogdell), 3:06.66
Pole Vault: t6. Tristan Slater, 5.07m (16-7.50)
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