Record Year for OU Track and Field

Aug. 18, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. – The task of updating the Oklahoma Track and Field program records book became a common one in 2009 as each weekend of competition seemed to produce a new program record. In fact, the 2009 Sooner club broke 16 program records throughout the season, 11 on the women's side and five on the men's.

On top of the 16 program records, OU athletes combined for 70 marks on the program's top-10 performance list.

Thirteen athletes combined for the 16 record marks in 2009 as five athletes completed the indoor-outdoor record sweep in their events. Will Claye (triple jump), Leslie Cole (400-meter dash), Ti'Anca Mock (long jump), Karen Shump (shot put) and Mikaela Johansson (weight/hammer throw) put their name atop the Oklahoma record books during both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

The future looks bright for the program as the roster lost just two of the thirteen athletes in Cole and Johansson. Cole leaves the program as one of the most decorated athletes in program history as far as records are concerned. On top of the 400-meter dash sweep, the Idabel, Okla., native also holds the record in the indoor 600-yard run and is a member of record-break relays in the 4x100 and 4x200.

Oklahoma Track and Field Records Book

SoonerSports.com now takes a quick look back at all of the record breaking performances in 2009…

Ti'Anca Mock | Indoor Long Jump | 20-11.75
Razorback Invitational | Fayetteville, Ark. | Jan. 23, 2009

Sophomore Ti'Anca Mock led the way for OU at the Razorback Invitational, establishing an Oklahoma program record in the women's long jump en route to automatically qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Mock's jump of 20-11.75 inches (6.39) on her sixth and final jump of the competition broke former Sooner Portia Nash's mark of 20-7.25 (6.28) set in 2007. Mock had three jumps in total that would have won the event finishing ahead of Arkansas' Peter Gaye-Beckford, 20-1.75 (6.14) by a full 10 inches.

Jacob Boone | Indoor Mile | 3:59.07
Meyo Invitational | South Bend, Ind. | Feb. 7, 2009

Then Oklahoma sophomore Jacob Boone became the first Sooner in program history to run a sub-four minute mile. The golden standard to casual track fans was eclipsed as Boone opened the race on the 300-meter track towards the back of the pack until the 11-man race split into two groups with Boone at the back of the lead pack. It was on the fifth and final lap that Boone unleashed a strong kick that the Oklahoma men's distance runners are starting to become known for. The time automatically qualified Boone for the NCAA Championships where he would later earn All-America honors.

Leslie Cole | Indoor 400 | 52.33
New Balance Collegiate Invitational | New York City | Feb. 7, 2009

One day after breaking the school record in the 400-meter dash, Leslie Cole lowered her own record time in the event at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Cole's time of 52.33 gave OU its fourth NCAA automatic qualifying time of the season and second of the day following Jacob Boone's performance in the mile. The time also eclipsed Cole's Oklahoma record, 53.10, set in the event's prelims.

Leslie Cole | Indoor 600-yard Run | 1:20.45
Sooner Open II | Norman, Okla. | Feb. 21, 2009

Maybe it was competing in front of the home crowd or maybe it was the familiarity of the track she trains on every day. Whatever it was, it worked as Leslie Cole broke a 22-year old record in the 600-yard run with a time of 1:20.45. The time that broke the previous record of 1:20.77 (Sandra Silvera - 1987) also broke an 11-year old meet record.

Mikaela Johansson | Weight Throw | 61-5.00
Sooner Open II | Norman, Okla. | Feb. 21, 2009

Already the program record holder in the event, Johansson continued to extend her distance in the event, tossing the implement 61-5.00. The performance marked the fifth straight week that Johansson had accomplished the record-breaking task.

Karen Shump | Indoor Shot Put | 56-7.50
U.S. Indoor Championships | Boston | Feb. 28, 2009

Despite redshirting the collegiate indoor season, first-year Sooner Karen Shump still made her mark on the OU record book as she donned the crimson and cream for the U.S. Indoor Championships. Competing against the pros, Shump tossed the shot a distance of 56-7.50 (17.26) to shatter the previous program record of 53-10.75 (Cecil Hansen - 1981) by close to three feet.

Men's DMR (Scott Cooper, Jarell Warren, Chris Sweeney, Jacob Boone) | 9:31.38
Alex Wilson Invitational | South Bend, Ind. | March 6, 2009

The Oklahoma men's distance medley relay broke the Oklahoma program record and recorded an NCAA automatic qualifying mark at the Alex Wilson Invitational. The quartet of Scott Cooper, Jarell Warren, Chris Sweeney and Jacob Boone recorded a time of 9:31.38 to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships.

The four shattered the previous OU record in the event of 9:42.35 set in 2008. Cooper opened the race on the opening 1,200-meter leg with a 2:55 split. Warren then took over with a 47-second 400-meter leg before handing off to Sweeney who covered his 800-meter leg in 1:50. The baton was then handed off to Boone for the mile anchor leg, an event Boone holds the OU program record in. The junior did not disappoint, running a sub-four-minute mile with a time of 3:58.

K.P. Singh | Weight Throw | 67-2.75
NCAA Last Chance Qualifier | Ames, Iowa | March 7, 2009

Singh finished third in the weight throw by tossing the implement a distance of 67-2.75 (20.49) and extending his own program record in the event. Singh entered the weekend ranked No. 17 in the nation with his previous best throw of 67-0.00 (20.43). The first-year Sooner's mark was over nine feet further than the previous program record of 56-10.25 set by Nils Oliveto in 1999.

Will Claye | Indoor Triple Jump | 55-1.50
NCAA Indoor Championships | College Station, Texas | March 14, 2009

After graduating high school early and enrolling at the University of Oklahoma in January, Will Claye was expected to replace Shardae Boutte as the face of the team's jumps program. On the final day of the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Claye fulfilled those expectations. The Phoenix native eclipsed the previous program record by a full 11 inches to finish second and earn his second All-America honors in as many days after finishing third in the long jump.

Women's 4x200-meter relay (Scottesha Miller, Jalesa Walker, Sherine Wells, Leslie Cole) | 1:33.27
Penn Relays | Philadelphia, Pa. | April 24, 2009

For the second time of the season, the women's 4x200 relay managed to break the program record at the prestigious Penn Relays. The quartet of Scottesha Miller, Jalesa Walker, Sherine Wells and Leslie Cole broke their own record set earlier this season with a time of 1:33.27 in the prelims of the event to qualify for Saturday afternoon's final of the event. The four teamed to set the record earlier in the month at the Texas Relays with a time of 1:33.5.

Mikaela Johansson | Hammer Throw | 196-5
Sooner Twilight | Norman, Okla. | May 9, 2009

Much like the weight throw during the indoor season, Mikaela Johansson shattered the program record in the hammer throw and continued to extend her own top mark throughout the season. The crowing distance came at home at the Sooner Twilight as the Swedish native tossed the implement a distance of 196-5 as she extended her own record for a third consecutive week.

Ti'Anca Mock | Long Jump | 21-9.50
Sooner Twilight | Norman, Okla. | May 9, 2009

Despite being the last week of regular season competition, Ti'Anca Mock had yet to compete in the long jump during the outdoor season. The layoff did nothing to hurt the sophomore as she soared through the air on her fifth attempt at the Sooner Twilight to break a 15-year old program record in the event with a jump of 21-9.50. The jump also broke a 27-year old John Jacobs Track and Field Complex record of 21-5.50 (6.54), set by Kansas' Halycon McKnight in 1982 as well as put Mock second in the nation and gave her an automatic invitation to the U.S. Outdoor Championships.

Women's 4x100-meter relay (Sherine Wells, Scottesha Miller, Leslie Cole, Ti'Anca Mock) | 43.58
NCAA Championships | Fayetteville, Ark. | June 12, 2009

The Oklahoma women's 4x100 relay added their names to the list of OU All-Americans by breaking their own program record at the NCAA Track and Field Championships. While action was affected by severe thunderstorms, the delays did little to deter OU athletes, especially the quartet of Sherine Wells, Scottesha Miller, Cole and Ti'Anca Mock who finished fourth overall by breaking their own program record by a full tenth of a second with a time of 43.58.

Running in the fastest NCAA final ever as the eventual winner, Texas A&M, ran the fastest time in collegiate history, 42.36, the Sooners improved a spot as they entered the meet ranked fifth nationally. The time came after the quartet broke the Oklahoma program record two weeks earlier at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Norman with a time of 43.68.

The foursome owns four of the six fastest times in program history as nine of the top-10 marks in program history have come in the last three years with Cole and Miller running a leg on each.

Leslie Cole | 400-meter dash | 51.20
NCAA Championships | Fayetteville, Ark. | June 13, 2009

Leslie Cole was a part of one of the fastest 400-meter dash finals in NCAA history as she reeled off a PR and program record, 51.20. Cole's time bested the 19-year old program record of 51.41 set by Wendy Watson in 1990 and gave the Oklahoma native All-America honors in the event.

One of the most accomplished female sprinters in OU history, Cole closed out her Oklahoma career with five All-America honors and is a part of seven program records, four indoor and three outdoor.

Will Claye | Triple Jump | 56-4.75
NCAA Championships | Fayetteville, Ark. | June 13, 2009

Oklahoma freshman Will Claye gave himself the best birthday present he's ever received on June 13: An NCAA title in the triple jump. Jumping on his 18th birthday, Claye broke his own U.S. Junior National record in the event and a 24-year old facility record by an Olympic gold medalist as he put on a show for a packed grandstand at the NCAA Track and Field Championships on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Claye's top jump of 56-6.75 (17.24) was good enough to win by over five inches, topping the 56-1.25 (17.10) by Texas A&M's Julian Reid. The title marked the first ever triple jump national championship in school history and the first-year Sooner became OU's 13th national champion in outdoor track and field history, the first since the 4x100 relay of Edward Clarke, Danny McFarlane, Ryan Kite and Roxbert Martin in 1997.

Claye's jump was the best in the world by a junior competitor and the seventh-best in the world on the senior level.

Karen Shump | Shot Put | 54-9.25
U.S. Championships | Eugene, Ore. | June 26, 2009

Just as in the indoor season, redshirting did not deter freshman Karen Shump from breaking a program record in the outdoor shot put. Competing for OU at the U.S. Championships, the Media, Pa., native finished 10th in the senior division of the women's shot put at the event with a top throw 54-9.25 (16.69). The first-year Sooner recorded the second-highest finish among collegiate competitors.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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