Records Fall at Sooner Open

NORMAN, Okla. The more things change, the more things stay the same or so was the theme for OU at the Sooner Indoor Open Saturday afternoon.

Several Sooners had their best performances of the season leading up next weekend's Big 12 Championships. Others replicated, or bettered, feats that occurred inside the Mosier Indoor Track & Field Center in 2006.

Nearly one year to the date, Toni Smith broke her own school record in the women's indoor triple jump en route to victory at the Sooner Open. Smith jumped 43-1.00 (13.13) to break the record she set last year at 42-8.00 (13.00).

Complete Results

"I could have gone further," Smith said, "I know a 44 (foot jump) is in me.

"I'm happy to get this going into the Big 12 weekend. I missed out on the outdoor season last year after surgery, so I didn't want anyone to forget about me. Conference, here I come."

The result helped Smith pass New Mexico State's Sandra Anane, who was runner-up to Smith today at 41-10.75, in the NCAA qualifier list to all but guarantee a trip to the national championships.

Anane entered the weekend No. 8 in the country at 13.12 meters. Smith was No. 13.

Ronnie Pines repeated his personal best in the 60-meter dash with a 6.60 run, equaling his own facility record and setting a meet record, en route to first place in the finals.

"I felt really good," Pines said. "There was some stiff competition and I had to really concentrate, focus on the race. I feel like I'm ready to go all the way."

The run automatically qualifies Pines for the NCAA National Championships (March 9-10) for the second straight season.

OU's Marcus Pugh was second at 6.73 and Baylor's Jacob Norman, the defending NCAA Champion in the event, finished third at 6.75 in his first competition of the season.

Pines' mark is the best in the Big 12 and ranks second nationally.

Texas Tech's Marlon Odom and OU's Sheldon Leith previewed what will likely be the battle for a Big 12 title one week from Saturday in the men's 60-meter hurdles.

Odom and Leith entered the meet ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the conference.

Leith ran 7.79, matching the school record and running the fastest time by a Big 12 hurdler this season, to lead after the preliminary rounds. However, Odom got the better result in the finals, taking the event victory in 7.81 to Leith's 7.83.

Oklahoma's Yolanda Goff ran a provisional qualifying time of 7.31 to lead after the prelims of the women's 60-meter dash. Goff backed up that time with a 7.39 in the finals to earn the event title over Ashley Williams (7.47) and OU sophomore Leslie Cole (7.56).

The men's 600-yard run was a battle between native Jamaicans and former Sooners Michael Blackwood and Aldwyn Sappleton. Blackwood earned the race win over Sappleton by .30 seconds with a meet record 1:09.42 run.

OU freshman Kevin Snyder cleared a personal best in the high jump with a leap of 6-11.00 (2.11). Snyder was second to Langston sophomore William Moses on number of jumps.

Sooner Katherine Johnson won the women's high jump with a season best clearance of 5-8.75 (1.75).

Sooners Ti'Anca Mock and Portia Nash both leapt to season bests in the long jump. Mock was second at 19-9.50 (6.03) and Nash third at 19-8.25 (6.00).

Sooner alum and school record holder Jerome Douglas (51-3.50) won the men's triple jump over OU's Tydree Lewis (51-0.75).

OU sophomore Jessica Brown posted a personal best pole vault of 12-2.50 (3.72) in her second-place effort.

Brown was runner-up to Abilene Christian's Angie Aguilar, who just missed a setting the Division II national indoor record at 13-3.00 (4.04). Aguilar won with a clearance of 12-6.25 (3.82).

OU's Sarah Pappas was fourth in the pole vault at 11-5.75 (3.50).

Kevin Bookout won the men's shot put with a throw of 59-9.00 (18.21), over seven feet farther than runner-up Heath Smith (52-8.25) of North Texas.

Josh Bookout earned third place with a personal best put of 51-7.25 (15.73).

OU senior Logan Jones won the men's 800-meter run in 1:52.99.

Catherine Odell (2:15.82) and Ashley Storm (2:17.84) ran second and fourth, respectively, in the women's 800.