Backel Sets OU Javelin Record

March 22, 2008

TULSA Okla. -- Sophomore Amy Backel established a new Oklahoma program record in the javelin as three Sooners recorded four top-three finishes Saturday at the Tulsa Duels. The meet marked the first outdoor competition of the year for Sooner athletes.

Backel finished first in the event with a throw of 155 feet and four inches (47.36 meters) to best the previous school record of 154-8 (47.14) set by Katie Webster in 1998.

The javelin was one of two top-two finishes for Backel who finished second in the shot put with an outdoor personal best of 44-9.00 (13.64). Saturday's competition marked Backel's first as a full-time thrower under first-year throws coach Brian Blutreich. Backel had previously competed as a multi-event athlete.

A second thrower, Buck Sullivan, finished second in the men's hammer throw with a long toss of 183-11 (56.06). The mark ranks second all-time at OU behind Nils Oliveto's throw of 192-2 (58.58) in 1999.

Catherine Odell finished second in the women's 800-meter run with a time of 2:14.02 to round out OU athletes in the top three.

Amanda Mayfield took fourth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 57.29.

Multi-event athletes Jamie Alexander, Mitch Henry and Matt O'Connor all saw action in the shot put, discus and javelin to prepare for decathlon competition later on in the season. Henry recorded top finishes of the group in the discus (133-04/40.63) and javelin (187-04/57.10) while Alexander led the way in the shot with a throw of 39-3.25 (11.97).

Full-time javelin competitor Chase Bridgforth took fifth in the event with a mark of 162-06 (49.53).