Brooks Breaks Shot Record, Claims Fourth at USAs

June 26, 2010

DES MOINES, Iowa — Oklahoma redshirt-freshman Tia Brooks broke a classmate's program record in the shot put as she finished fourth overall Saturday at the USA Track and Field Championships. Brooks was one of a number of highlights for the Oklahoma program on the day as Mookie Salaam (200-meter dash) and Ronnie Ash (110-meter hurdles) both advanced to the semifinals in their respective events.

The top finisher among collegiate athletes, Brooks shattered her PR by over two feet with a final throw of 57-0.00 (17.37), topping classmate Karen Shump's program record of 56-3.00 (17.14) by nine inches. Brooks entered the meet with a PR of 54-9.25 (16.69) and credited a change in start style for the result.

Brooks was in fourth after the first round of throws and slipped to seventh after three rounds with the top eight at that point moving on to the finals. She jumped back to fourth with a throw of 55-11.75 (17.06) on her fourth attempt before unleashing her record breaking effort on the fifth attempt. Brooks fouled on her sixth attempt.

“I felt good today even though I didn't think I'd make the finals,” said Brooks. “I knew that if I got in the finals and got three more throws that I could throw farther. A week before the NCAA Championships, we changed my start a little bit and I've been adjusting to it and have finally gotten a hang of it.”

The OU record holder in the shot entering the meet, Shump saw her first action since finishing second in the shot put at the NCAA Championships. The redshirt-freshman finished 11th overall with a throw of 54-4.00 (16.56) on her first attempt. Shump was unable to improve on her next two attempts, fouling on both.

While the two were competing in the field, Oklahoma athletes were busy on the Drake Stadium Track. Salaam was the first one up as he automatically advanced to the semifinals by winning the second heat of the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.78. Salaam's fourth-fastest time of the year was the fourth fastest of the prelims and second among collegiate athletes in the event.

Like Salaam, Ash also automatically qualified for the finals in the 110-meter hurdles as he won his heat, claiming the fourth heat with a time of 13.69. The OU record holder in the 110-meter hurdles and a three-time NCAA champion, Ash ran the sixth fastest time among collegiate athletes in the event.

Oklahoma action at the event resumes on Sunday at 12 p.m. CST with OU alum Kevin Bookout in the men's shot put.

Oklahoma Final Results:
Women's Shot Put: 4. Tia Brooks 57-0.00 (17.37); 11. Karen Shump 54-4.00 (16.56)

Oklahoma Athletes Advancing:
Men's 200-Meter Dash: Mookie Salaam 20.78
Men's 110-Meter Hurdles: Ronnie Ash 13.69