Kansas State University Athletics
Taubert, Okorie Off to Strong Starts at Jim Click Combined Events
Apr 08, 2021 | Track & Field
Taubert is currently in first place in the heptathlon with 3,516 points
TUCSON, Ariz. – Kansas State track and field athletes Lauren Taubert and Ariel Okorie are off to strong starts in the heptathlon, as the seniors are currently first and fourth, respectively, in the event after day one of the Jim Click Combined Events at Roy P. Drachman Stadium on Thursday (April 8).
Taubert leads the field with 3,516 points, including a win in the 200 meters to cap the event's first day and second-place finishes in the high jump and shot put competitions. She is 154 points ahead of Arizona's Skylar Sieben and 173 points ahead of Texas Tech's Callie Jones.
Okorie, who opened the heptathlon with a win in the 100 meter hurdles, is 200 points behind Taubert in fourth place with 3,316 points. Okorie followed up her victory in the 100 meter hurdles by tying Taubert on misses in the high jump with marks of 1.72m/5-07.75".
Freshman Regan Dineen was solid in first career heptathlon, placing 12th with 2,526 points after day one.
"Lauren and Ariel both had strong first days," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto. "Ariel had PRs in the first 3 events. Lauren had 2 PRs and near PRs in other two events. This is Regan's first heptathlon in her life so a learning experience."
Taubert, who ranks third nationally in the heptathlon after scoring 5,713 at the UTSA Invitational on March 19-20, is ahead of her point total (3516 to 3430) from the midway point of her first heptathlon of the season. Okorie is also ahead of her point total (3316 to 3120) from her first heptathlon, in which, she ranks 14th nationally after scoring 5,063 points at the UTSA Invitational on March 19-20.
The senior Wildcat duo have a strong history at the Jim Click Combined Events meet, as Taubert (5,669) and Okorie (5,516) finished second and third, respectively, in the heptathlon at the 2019 meet.
In an event that includes four of the Top 15 heptathletes in the college ranks, Okorie opened the competition with a win in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 13.56 to claim 1,041 points. The time was narrowly off a personal best for Okorie, who posted a time of 13.55 in the event at the 2019 Jim Click Combined Events. Taubert also barely missed a personal best in the event, scoring 1,023 points with a time of 13.69. Her personal best time of 13.66 in the event, also came at the 2019 Jim Click Combined Events.
Dineen placed 13th in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 16.32 to post 676 points.
Okorie and Taubert tied for second and each claimed 879 points in the high jump with marks of 1.72m/5-07.75". Each posted the height on third and final attempt. It was a personal-best height for Okorie, eclipsing her previous mark of 1.70m/5-07" at the 2018 Big 12 Championship. Taubert once again narrowly missed a personal best in the event, as her mark was just short of her high of 1.73m/5-08" at the 2019 Big 12 Championships. Dineen placed 12th with a height of 1.57m/5-01.75".
With the two Wildcats neck-and-neck in the standings after two events, Taubert grabbed the lead for good with a personal best mark of 12.08m/39-07.75" in the shot put to finish second and claim 666 points. The performance shattered her previous best of 11.50m/37-08.75" at UTSA Invitational on March 19.
Okorie also reached a personal best in the shot put with a mark of 11.43m/37-6" to finish in sixth place and garner 623 points. The effort eclipsed her previous high of 10.97m/36.00" at the 2019 Big 12 Championship. Dineen reached a mark of 9.61 m/31-06.5" to post an 11th place finish in the event.
In the final event of day one, Taubert claimed a first-place finish in the 200 meters with a season-best time of 24.34 and earn 948 points to cap the day. It was ahead of time of 24.40 in the event at the UTSA Invitational on March 19, but short of personal-best time of 24.14 at the 2019 Jim Click Combined Events.
Okorie posted a time of 26.28 in the 200 meters to finish in 10th place and earn 773 points, while Dineen recorded a time of 27.82 to place 12th and post 645 points.
The heptathlon competition concludes on Friday starting at 1:30 p.m., CT with the long jump, followed by the javelin at 3 p.m., CT and the 800 meters at 4:30 p.m., CT. Saturday's main event – the Jim Click Shootout – starts with field and running events starting at 1 p.m., CT and continues until 11:15 p.m., CT.
Fans wanting to follow along with the Jim Click Combined Events (Thursday-Friday) and Jim Click Shootout (Saturday) can use the live results link provided by Finished Results (www.finishedresults.com) as well as Arizona Athletics (www.arizonawildcats.com).
Heptathlon Standings After Day One [4 Events]
1. Lauren Taubert – 3,516
4. Ariel Okorie – 3,316
12. Regan Dineen – 2,526
Event 1 – 100 meter Hurdles [Point Total]
1. Ariel Okorie – 13.56 (+1.9) [1041]
3. Lauren Taubert – 13.69 (+1.9) [1023]
13. Regan Dineen – 16.32 (+0.1) [676]
Event 2 – High Jump [Point Total]
2. Ariel Okorie – *1.72m/5-07.75" [879]
2. Lauren Taubert – 1.72m/5-07.75" [879]
12. Regan Dineen – 1.57m/5-01.75" [701]
Event 3 – Shot Put [Point Total]
2. Lauren Taubert – *12.08m/39-07.75" [666]
6. Ariel Okorie – *11.43m/37-6" [623]
11. Regan Dineen – 9.61m/31-6.5" [504]
Event 4 – 200 meters [Point Total]
1. Lauren Taubert – 24.34 (-0.5) [948]
10. Ariel Okorie – 26.28 (-0.5) [773]
12. Regan Dineen – 27.82 (+1.2) [645]
*New Personal Best
Taubert leads the field with 3,516 points, including a win in the 200 meters to cap the event's first day and second-place finishes in the high jump and shot put competitions. She is 154 points ahead of Arizona's Skylar Sieben and 173 points ahead of Texas Tech's Callie Jones.
Okorie, who opened the heptathlon with a win in the 100 meter hurdles, is 200 points behind Taubert in fourth place with 3,316 points. Okorie followed up her victory in the 100 meter hurdles by tying Taubert on misses in the high jump with marks of 1.72m/5-07.75".
Freshman Regan Dineen was solid in first career heptathlon, placing 12th with 2,526 points after day one.
"Lauren and Ariel both had strong first days," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto. "Ariel had PRs in the first 3 events. Lauren had 2 PRs and near PRs in other two events. This is Regan's first heptathlon in her life so a learning experience."
Taubert, who ranks third nationally in the heptathlon after scoring 5,713 at the UTSA Invitational on March 19-20, is ahead of her point total (3516 to 3430) from the midway point of her first heptathlon of the season. Okorie is also ahead of her point total (3316 to 3120) from her first heptathlon, in which, she ranks 14th nationally after scoring 5,063 points at the UTSA Invitational on March 19-20.
The senior Wildcat duo have a strong history at the Jim Click Combined Events meet, as Taubert (5,669) and Okorie (5,516) finished second and third, respectively, in the heptathlon at the 2019 meet.
In an event that includes four of the Top 15 heptathletes in the college ranks, Okorie opened the competition with a win in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 13.56 to claim 1,041 points. The time was narrowly off a personal best for Okorie, who posted a time of 13.55 in the event at the 2019 Jim Click Combined Events. Taubert also barely missed a personal best in the event, scoring 1,023 points with a time of 13.69. Her personal best time of 13.66 in the event, also came at the 2019 Jim Click Combined Events.
Dineen placed 13th in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 16.32 to post 676 points.
Okorie and Taubert tied for second and each claimed 879 points in the high jump with marks of 1.72m/5-07.75". Each posted the height on third and final attempt. It was a personal-best height for Okorie, eclipsing her previous mark of 1.70m/5-07" at the 2018 Big 12 Championship. Taubert once again narrowly missed a personal best in the event, as her mark was just short of her high of 1.73m/5-08" at the 2019 Big 12 Championships. Dineen placed 12th with a height of 1.57m/5-01.75".
With the two Wildcats neck-and-neck in the standings after two events, Taubert grabbed the lead for good with a personal best mark of 12.08m/39-07.75" in the shot put to finish second and claim 666 points. The performance shattered her previous best of 11.50m/37-08.75" at UTSA Invitational on March 19.
Okorie also reached a personal best in the shot put with a mark of 11.43m/37-6" to finish in sixth place and garner 623 points. The effort eclipsed her previous high of 10.97m/36.00" at the 2019 Big 12 Championship. Dineen reached a mark of 9.61 m/31-06.5" to post an 11th place finish in the event.
In the final event of day one, Taubert claimed a first-place finish in the 200 meters with a season-best time of 24.34 and earn 948 points to cap the day. It was ahead of time of 24.40 in the event at the UTSA Invitational on March 19, but short of personal-best time of 24.14 at the 2019 Jim Click Combined Events.
Okorie posted a time of 26.28 in the 200 meters to finish in 10th place and earn 773 points, while Dineen recorded a time of 27.82 to place 12th and post 645 points.
The heptathlon competition concludes on Friday starting at 1:30 p.m., CT with the long jump, followed by the javelin at 3 p.m., CT and the 800 meters at 4:30 p.m., CT. Saturday's main event – the Jim Click Shootout – starts with field and running events starting at 1 p.m., CT and continues until 11:15 p.m., CT.
Fans wanting to follow along with the Jim Click Combined Events (Thursday-Friday) and Jim Click Shootout (Saturday) can use the live results link provided by Finished Results (www.finishedresults.com) as well as Arizona Athletics (www.arizonawildcats.com).
Heptathlon Standings After Day One [4 Events]
1. Lauren Taubert – 3,516
4. Ariel Okorie – 3,316
12. Regan Dineen – 2,526
Event 1 – 100 meter Hurdles [Point Total]
1. Ariel Okorie – 13.56 (+1.9) [1041]
3. Lauren Taubert – 13.69 (+1.9) [1023]
13. Regan Dineen – 16.32 (+0.1) [676]
Event 2 – High Jump [Point Total]
2. Ariel Okorie – *1.72m/5-07.75" [879]
2. Lauren Taubert – 1.72m/5-07.75" [879]
12. Regan Dineen – 1.57m/5-01.75" [701]
Event 3 – Shot Put [Point Total]
2. Lauren Taubert – *12.08m/39-07.75" [666]
6. Ariel Okorie – *11.43m/37-6" [623]
11. Regan Dineen – 9.61m/31-6.5" [504]
Event 4 – 200 meters [Point Total]
1. Lauren Taubert – 24.34 (-0.5) [948]
10. Ariel Okorie – 26.28 (-0.5) [773]
12. Regan Dineen – 27.82 (+1.2) [645]
*New Personal Best
Players Mentioned
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