Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, June 11
Eugene, Ore.
7 P.M.
Kansas State University
vs
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Shankar Finishes as NCAA Runner-up in High Jump
Jun 12, 2021 | Track & Field
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Shankar has now earned First Team All-America honors in three straight outdoor meets
EUGENE, Ore. – Junior Tejaswin Shankar soared to a national runner-up finish in the men's high jump, as he jumped 2.23m/7-03.75 to earn First Team All-America honors for the third consecutive outdoor championship to highlight action on day three of the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Friday (June 11) at Hayward Field.
The 2018 national champion, Shankar lost the NCAA title to a familiar foe in LSU's JuVaughn Harrison, who won his fourth consecutive high jump national title (2019 indoor and outdoor and 2021 indoor and outdoor). In that span, Shankar has finished second twice (2019 and 2021 outdoor) and third on another occasion (2021 indoor).
Harrison, who won the men's long jump title on Wednesday, earned his second championship of the competition with a height of 2.33m/7-07.75. He was the only jumper to clear 2.23m/7-03.75 on his first attempt and the only one to clear 2.26m/7-05 before posting the winning height of 2.33m/7-07.75 on his first attempt.
"T.J. did what he needed to do to place as high as possible," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto. "(JuVaughn) Harrison wasn't going to get beat today. A lot of guys struggled today. It was one of those type of competitions and T.J. took advantage."
In addition to the performance by Shankar in the high jump, seniors Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert started competition in the heptathlon with the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 meters. Taubert sits in 14th place after day one with 3,339 points, while Okorie is right behind in 16th place with 3,312 points.
"I thought Ariel did a pretty nice job overall," said Rovelto. "She should have made at least one more bar in high jump, but otherwise solid. Lauren has been dealing with some knee issues for a few weeks and we really couldn't prepare the way we would like. Having said that she did okay given her lack of sharpness. The good thing is that the knee didn't really flare up, so she can hopefully get after it tomorrow."
Shankar was one of only three high jumpers (along with Florida's Clayton Brown and Oklahoma's Vernon Turner) to clear his first three heights (2.10m/6-10.75, 2.15m/7-00.50, 2.20m/7-02.50) on his first attempt. He missed on his first attempt at his eventual finishing height of 2.23m/7-03.75 before making it on the second one, joining Harrison, Nebraska's Mayson Connor and Tennessee's Darryl Sullivan as the only jumpers to clear the height. He was then unable to clear the bar on all three attempts at 2.26m/7-05.
Shankar is now a six-time All-American in the high jump, accomplishing the feat during the 2018 outdoor, 2019 indoor and outdoor, 2020 indoor, 2021 indoor and outdoor seasons. A Wildcat high jumper has now earned All-America honors 16 times in the last 18 outdoor championships dating back to 2003.
Taubert and Okorie have positioned themselves for a strong finish in the heptathlon on Saturday, as they sit in 14th and 16th places, respectively, after four events.
The day started off well for Okorie, who nearly passed her personal-best of 13.53 in the 100-meter hurdles, blazing out to a time of 13.55 to finish eighth and score 1,043 points in the first event. Taubert was just behind in 11th place with a time of 13.69 that scored her 1,023 points.
Taubert moved ahead of Okorie after the high jump, vaulting to a height of 1.66m/5-05.25 to place 13th and score 806 points to sit in 11th place after two events. Okorie was 16th in the event with a mark of 1.63m/5-04.25 to score 771 points and slip to 13th overall.
Things evened up for two Wildcats in the shot put, as Okorie placed 15th with a throw of 11.69m/38-04.25 to score 641 points and move into 15th place after three events. Taubert was 19th in the event with a mark of 11.09m/36-04.75 to score 601 points and fall to 16th place overall.
Taubert saved her best for the fourth and final event of the day, the 200 meters, as she posted a time of 24.76 to place ninth and score 909 points to move into 14th with 3,339 points. Okorie was 15th in the event with a time of 25.191 to score 869 points and sit in 16th place with 3,312 points after day one.
Texas A&M's Tyra Gittens is the day one leader in the heptathlon with 3,834 points, just ahead of Washington's Ida Eikens (3,672) and Miami's Michelle Atherley (3,655), who sit in second and third, respectively.
The final day of the NCAA Championships on Saturday begins with Okorie and Taubert in the final events in the heptathlon before finishing with senior Ashley Petr in the women's discus and freshman Rhianna Phipps in the women's triple jump.
The NCAA Championship Central link on the K-State Athletics' website is the hub for everything regarding the 13 Wildcats at nationals, including the schedule of events and broadcast links, athlete bios and features and all the highlights from the NCAA West Regional in College Station, Texas, May 26-29.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, June 12
1:00 pm – Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert, Long Jump (heptathlon)
2:15 pm – Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert, Javelin (heptathlon)
4:35 pm – Ashley Petr, Women's Discus
5:20 pm – Rhianna Phipps, Women's Triple Jump
6:43 pm – Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert, 800 meters (heptathlon)
The 2018 national champion, Shankar lost the NCAA title to a familiar foe in LSU's JuVaughn Harrison, who won his fourth consecutive high jump national title (2019 indoor and outdoor and 2021 indoor and outdoor). In that span, Shankar has finished second twice (2019 and 2021 outdoor) and third on another occasion (2021 indoor).
Harrison, who won the men's long jump title on Wednesday, earned his second championship of the competition with a height of 2.33m/7-07.75. He was the only jumper to clear 2.23m/7-03.75 on his first attempt and the only one to clear 2.26m/7-05 before posting the winning height of 2.33m/7-07.75 on his first attempt.
"T.J. did what he needed to do to place as high as possible," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto. "(JuVaughn) Harrison wasn't going to get beat today. A lot of guys struggled today. It was one of those type of competitions and T.J. took advantage."
In addition to the performance by Shankar in the high jump, seniors Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert started competition in the heptathlon with the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 meters. Taubert sits in 14th place after day one with 3,339 points, while Okorie is right behind in 16th place with 3,312 points.
"I thought Ariel did a pretty nice job overall," said Rovelto. "She should have made at least one more bar in high jump, but otherwise solid. Lauren has been dealing with some knee issues for a few weeks and we really couldn't prepare the way we would like. Having said that she did okay given her lack of sharpness. The good thing is that the knee didn't really flare up, so she can hopefully get after it tomorrow."
Shankar was one of only three high jumpers (along with Florida's Clayton Brown and Oklahoma's Vernon Turner) to clear his first three heights (2.10m/6-10.75, 2.15m/7-00.50, 2.20m/7-02.50) on his first attempt. He missed on his first attempt at his eventual finishing height of 2.23m/7-03.75 before making it on the second one, joining Harrison, Nebraska's Mayson Connor and Tennessee's Darryl Sullivan as the only jumpers to clear the height. He was then unable to clear the bar on all three attempts at 2.26m/7-05.
Shankar is now a six-time All-American in the high jump, accomplishing the feat during the 2018 outdoor, 2019 indoor and outdoor, 2020 indoor, 2021 indoor and outdoor seasons. A Wildcat high jumper has now earned All-America honors 16 times in the last 18 outdoor championships dating back to 2003.
Taubert and Okorie have positioned themselves for a strong finish in the heptathlon on Saturday, as they sit in 14th and 16th places, respectively, after four events.
The day started off well for Okorie, who nearly passed her personal-best of 13.53 in the 100-meter hurdles, blazing out to a time of 13.55 to finish eighth and score 1,043 points in the first event. Taubert was just behind in 11th place with a time of 13.69 that scored her 1,023 points.
Taubert moved ahead of Okorie after the high jump, vaulting to a height of 1.66m/5-05.25 to place 13th and score 806 points to sit in 11th place after two events. Okorie was 16th in the event with a mark of 1.63m/5-04.25 to score 771 points and slip to 13th overall.
Things evened up for two Wildcats in the shot put, as Okorie placed 15th with a throw of 11.69m/38-04.25 to score 641 points and move into 15th place after three events. Taubert was 19th in the event with a mark of 11.09m/36-04.75 to score 601 points and fall to 16th place overall.
Taubert saved her best for the fourth and final event of the day, the 200 meters, as she posted a time of 24.76 to place ninth and score 909 points to move into 14th with 3,339 points. Okorie was 15th in the event with a time of 25.191 to score 869 points and sit in 16th place with 3,312 points after day one.
Texas A&M's Tyra Gittens is the day one leader in the heptathlon with 3,834 points, just ahead of Washington's Ida Eikens (3,672) and Miami's Michelle Atherley (3,655), who sit in second and third, respectively.
The final day of the NCAA Championships on Saturday begins with Okorie and Taubert in the final events in the heptathlon before finishing with senior Ashley Petr in the women's discus and freshman Rhianna Phipps in the women's triple jump.
The NCAA Championship Central link on the K-State Athletics' website is the hub for everything regarding the 13 Wildcats at nationals, including the schedule of events and broadcast links, athlete bios and features and all the highlights from the NCAA West Regional in College Station, Texas, May 26-29.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, June 12
1:00 pm – Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert, Long Jump (heptathlon)
2:15 pm – Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert, Javelin (heptathlon)
4:35 pm – Ashley Petr, Women's Discus
5:20 pm – Rhianna Phipps, Women's Triple Jump
6:43 pm – Ariel Okorie and Lauren Taubert, 800 meters (heptathlon)
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