Hooker nabs fourth high jump championship at Texas Relays
AUSTIN, Texas -- Sophomore reigning national champion Destinee Hooker won her fourth consecutive Texas Relays high jump championship, and All-Americans senior Chauntae Bayne and sophomore Alexandria Anderson recorded the nation's top two times in the 100-meter dash, on the third day (April 6) of the 80th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at Mike A. Myers Track and Soccer Stadium. Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) won her fourth consecutive Texas Relays high jump in clearing 6-2.25 (1.89m). After capturing two championships in high school, the reigning NCAA Outdoor High Jump National Champion ousted the field in her second straight Texas Relays as a Longhorn. She notched an NCAA regional standard for the third time this season in her tune-ups for the Big 12 Conference Championships. Anderson clocked a season-opening 11.22 mark to equal the nation's top mark of the 2007 season, set by LSU's Kelly Ann Baptist. Not only did she lead all advancers but Anderson moved into sixth-place on UT's all-time performers' list and the third fastest time since 1999. Bayne (Saginaw, Texas) ran in both NCAA regional qualifying relays, and equaled the second fastest time in the nation in the 100-meter dash. Her opening-heat mark of 11.29 seconds in the 100 was the third fastest advancing time in the preliminary race and equaled the second best mark in 2007 in the country, run by TCU's Virgil Hodge. At the time, Bayne's 11.29 mark equaled the time of the ninth fastest performer in UT history until teammate Anderson stepped to the line in the 12th heat of the preliminary race. Anderson's time moved Bayne's mark to the 11th-speediest in Texas school history. Bayne and Anderson both opened the day with a talented 4x100-meter relay. The quartet, which consisted of three sprinters who have won relay national championships, finished with the second fastest qualifying time, and bettered its NCAA region qualifying mark to 44.64. Junior Jasmine Lee (Norwalk, Calif.) and Anderson, the first two legs of the 2006 NCAA champion 400-meter relay, ran the opening 200 for Texas on Friday morning. Anderson exchanged with All-American Jerrika Chapple (Lancaster, Texas), who ran on the 2005 relay NCAA champion team, for the third segment. Bayne anchored UT to its' fastest time of the year, right behind LSU's time of 44.19 in heat number six and ahead of Texas A&M (44.69), the fastest qualifier in heat five. Bayne returned to the track for her third race of the day, as she ran the third leg of the 4x400-meter relay that nabbed the last qualifying spot in 3:39.48. Sophomore All-American Janine Davis (Elizabeth, N.J.) handed off to freshman Devon Williams (Parkville, Md.). Bayne gave the baton to junior Temeka Kincy (Indianapolis, Ind.), who also anchored the 4x800-meter relay to a championship last night. Senior Michelle Carter (Ovilla, Texas) took sixth in the discus, tossing a season-best 170-2 (51.86m) and reaching the NCAA region standard for the fourth time this season. Carter's throw was the fifth farthest ever in UT school history and gives her three of the top five performances in school history. She competed against familiar competition as her sister D'Andra tossed 174-9 (53.27m) for second place overall. In the evening session run of the 3000-meter steeplechase, sophomore Larkin Geyer (Austin, Texas) and freshman Lauren Salisbury (Pflugerville, Texas) finished in the top 10, clocking 11:06.59 and 11:10.80 in their season debuts. Texas Relays 4x100-meter relay (NCAA Reg.: 45.70) 100m hurdles (NCAA Reg.: 13.92) 100m (NCAA Reg.: 11.75) 4x400-meter relay (NCAA Reg.: 3:42) High jump (NCAA Reg.: 1.75m) Discus (NCAA Reg.: 47.30m) 3000m steeplechase (NCAA Reg.:10:50.25)
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