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Thursday, April 8
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Jim Click Combined Events
Taubert Wins Heptathlon at Jim Click Combined Events
Apr 09, 2021 | Track & Field
The senior scored an NCAA-leading and personal-best 5,831 in the event
TUCSON, Ariz. – Kansas State senior track and field athlete Lauren Taubert scored a NCAA-leading and personal-best 5,831 points to capture the heptathlon title at the Jim Click Combined Events meet at Roy P. Drachman Stadium on Friday afternoon (April 9).
Taubert's 5,831-point performance is now the national leader in the heptathlon, surpassing the 5,813 points by Texas freshman Kristine Blazevica at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 25. The effort also eclipsed Taubert's previous best in the event of 5,793 points at the 2019 NCAA Championships. Her current mark ranks as the fifth-best total in school history in the heptathlon and the highest by a Wildcat since Nina Schultz scored 6,133 points at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
"I'm happy with how this weekend turned out," said Taubert. "I had an overall PR and I showed some improvements in my throws. I was really excited about my shot put PR and finally throwing over 12 (12.08m/39-07.75"). My other marks were pretty solid, but I still have a lot I can improve on."
Taubert won the event by 254 points over Texas Tech's Callie Jones, who finished second with 5,577 points. BYU's Halley Folsom and Washington's Hannah Rusnak finished in third and fourth place with 5,525 and 5,508 points, respectively, while Wildcat teammate and fellow senior Ariel Okorie completed the competition in fifth place with 5,474 points. Okorie's performance would place her eighth nationally in the heptathlon.
"Ariel had some really strong showings in most events this weekend," said Taubert. "She is a great training partner and pushes me every day in practice. I'm excited to see what the rest of the season has in store for her."
Taubert took the lead for good after her personal-best mark in the shot put (12.08m/39-07.75") on Thursday and entered the final day of competition on Friday with 3,516 points, which was 154 points ahead over Sieben and 173 ahead of Jones. Taubert's lead was buoyed by a victory in the 200 meters to cap the first day, along with second-place finishes in the high jump and shot put competitions.
"Lauren and Ariel both did a nice job," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto. "Both were very close to what I had projected they were ready to do. They both a very good job of competing. A number of improvements in events during the course of the competition. Lauren had an overall PR and I believe that was Ariel's second-best total. A very solid meet."
Taubert and Okorie entered the meet among the Top 15 nationally in the heptathlon, as Taubert scored 5,713 points and Okorie 5,063 at the UTSA Invitational on March 19-20 to place third and 14th, respectively.
Taubert and Okorie opened Friday's events by tying for third place in the long jump competition with identical marks of 5.91m/19-04.75" and collecting 822 points. It was a season-best mark for Okorie in the long jump, who posted a leap of 5.67m/18-07.25 at the USTA Invitational on March 20.
In the javelin competition, Taubert's overall lead narrowed to 86 points over Rusnak and 92 over Jones despite a season-best toss of 37.40m/122-08" to place fifth and earn 617 points. The throw was just shy of her personal-best mark of 37.73m/123-09" posted at the 2019 NCAA Championships. Okorie scored a fourth-place finish in the event with a season-best throw of 38.07m/124-11" to post 630 points. Okorie smashed her previous season-best toss of 34.03m/111-08 at the UTSA Invitational on March 20.
However, Taubert ended any doubts with a season-best performance in her signature event – the 800 meters – to clinch the title, scoring a third-place finish with a time of 2:16.21 to collect 876 points. She was nearly 3 seconds ahead of previous season-best time of 2:19.25 at the UTSA Invitational on March 20. Okorie also posted a season-best time by more than 5 seconds of 2:28.99 in the 800 to finish in eighth place and score 706 points.
Freshman Regan Dineen, who was solid on the first day of her first career heptathlon with 2,526 points, had to withdraw from the rest of the event.
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 Shootout can use the live results link provided by Finished Results (www.finishedresults.com) as well as Arizona Athletics (www.arizonawildcats.com).
Final Heptathlon Standings [7 Events]
1. Lauren Taubert (K-State) – 5,831
2. Callie Jones (Texas Tech) – 5,577
3. Halley Folsom (BYU) – 5,525
4. Hannah Rusnak (Washington) – 5,508
5. Ariel Okorie (K-State) – 5,474
Event 1 (Thursday) – 100 meter Hurdles [Point Total]
1. Ariel Okorie – 13.56 (+1.9) [1,041]
3. Lauren Taubert – 13.69 (+1.9) [1,023]
13. Regan Dineen – 16.32 (+0.1) [676]
Event 2 (Thursday) – 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 (Thursday) – 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 (Thursday) – 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]
Event 5 (Friday) – Long Jump [Point Total]
3. Lauren Taubert – 5.91m/19-04.75" [822]
3. Ariel Okorie – 5.91m/19-04.75" [822]
Regan Dineen [DNS]
Event 6 (Friday) – Javelin [Point Total]
4. Ariel Okorie – 38.07m/124-11" [630]
5. Lauren Taubert – 37.40m/122-8" [617]
Regan Dineen [DNS]
Event 7 (Friday) – 800 meters [Point Total]
3. Lauren Taubert – 2:16.21 [876]
8. Ariel Okorie – 2:28.99 [706]
Regan Dineen [DNS]
*New Personal Best
Taubert's 5,831-point performance is now the national leader in the heptathlon, surpassing the 5,813 points by Texas freshman Kristine Blazevica at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on March 25. The effort also eclipsed Taubert's previous best in the event of 5,793 points at the 2019 NCAA Championships. Her current mark ranks as the fifth-best total in school history in the heptathlon and the highest by a Wildcat since Nina Schultz scored 6,133 points at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
"I'm happy with how this weekend turned out," said Taubert. "I had an overall PR and I showed some improvements in my throws. I was really excited about my shot put PR and finally throwing over 12 (12.08m/39-07.75"). My other marks were pretty solid, but I still have a lot I can improve on."
Taubert won the event by 254 points over Texas Tech's Callie Jones, who finished second with 5,577 points. BYU's Halley Folsom and Washington's Hannah Rusnak finished in third and fourth place with 5,525 and 5,508 points, respectively, while Wildcat teammate and fellow senior Ariel Okorie completed the competition in fifth place with 5,474 points. Okorie's performance would place her eighth nationally in the heptathlon.
"Ariel had some really strong showings in most events this weekend," said Taubert. "She is a great training partner and pushes me every day in practice. I'm excited to see what the rest of the season has in store for her."
Taubert took the lead for good after her personal-best mark in the shot put (12.08m/39-07.75") on Thursday and entered the final day of competition on Friday with 3,516 points, which was 154 points ahead over Sieben and 173 ahead of Jones. Taubert's lead was buoyed by a victory in the 200 meters to cap the first day, along with second-place finishes in the high jump and shot put competitions.
"Lauren and Ariel both did a nice job," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto. "Both were very close to what I had projected they were ready to do. They both a very good job of competing. A number of improvements in events during the course of the competition. Lauren had an overall PR and I believe that was Ariel's second-best total. A very solid meet."
Taubert and Okorie entered the meet among the Top 15 nationally in the heptathlon, as Taubert scored 5,713 points and Okorie 5,063 at the UTSA Invitational on March 19-20 to place third and 14th, respectively.
Taubert and Okorie opened Friday's events by tying for third place in the long jump competition with identical marks of 5.91m/19-04.75" and collecting 822 points. It was a season-best mark for Okorie in the long jump, who posted a leap of 5.67m/18-07.25 at the USTA Invitational on March 20.
In the javelin competition, Taubert's overall lead narrowed to 86 points over Rusnak and 92 over Jones despite a season-best toss of 37.40m/122-08" to place fifth and earn 617 points. The throw was just shy of her personal-best mark of 37.73m/123-09" posted at the 2019 NCAA Championships. Okorie scored a fourth-place finish in the event with a season-best throw of 38.07m/124-11" to post 630 points. Okorie smashed her previous season-best toss of 34.03m/111-08 at the UTSA Invitational on March 20.
However, Taubert ended any doubts with a season-best performance in her signature event – the 800 meters – to clinch the title, scoring a third-place finish with a time of 2:16.21 to collect 876 points. She was nearly 3 seconds ahead of previous season-best time of 2:19.25 at the UTSA Invitational on March 20. Okorie also posted a season-best time by more than 5 seconds of 2:28.99 in the 800 to finish in eighth place and score 706 points.
Freshman Regan Dineen, who was solid on the first day of her first career heptathlon with 2,526 points, had to withdraw from the rest of the event.
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 Shootout can use the live results link provided by Finished Results (www.finishedresults.com) as well as Arizona Athletics (www.arizonawildcats.com).
Final Heptathlon Standings [7 Events]
1. Lauren Taubert (K-State) – 5,831
2. Callie Jones (Texas Tech) – 5,577
3. Halley Folsom (BYU) – 5,525
4. Hannah Rusnak (Washington) – 5,508
5. Ariel Okorie (K-State) – 5,474
Event 1 (Thursday) – 100 meter Hurdles [Point Total]
1. Ariel Okorie – 13.56 (+1.9) [1,041]
3. Lauren Taubert – 13.69 (+1.9) [1,023]
13. Regan Dineen – 16.32 (+0.1) [676]
Event 2 (Thursday) – 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 (Thursday) – 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 (Thursday) – 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]
Event 5 (Friday) – Long Jump [Point Total]
3. Lauren Taubert – 5.91m/19-04.75" [822]
3. Ariel Okorie – 5.91m/19-04.75" [822]
Regan Dineen [DNS]
Event 6 (Friday) – Javelin [Point Total]
4. Ariel Okorie – 38.07m/124-11" [630]
5. Lauren Taubert – 37.40m/122-8" [617]
Regan Dineen [DNS]
Event 7 (Friday) – 800 meters [Point Total]
3. Lauren Taubert – 2:16.21 [876]
8. Ariel Okorie – 2:28.99 [706]
Regan Dineen [DNS]
*New Personal Best
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