May 15, 2003
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Antoinette Wilks is currently placed second in the heptathlon with 3,236 points after the first day of the Southeastern Track and Field Championships, despite a three hour and 18 minute delay due to severe weather. The delay occurred at 4:42 p.m., right after the start of the competition as extreme winds at speeds up to 70 miles per hour ripped through the Knoxville area and as speculated tornadic activity swept through the region. No damage was caused at the Tom Black Track Facility on the campus of the University of Tennessee.
Fred Townsend stands in sixth place in the decathlon with 3,837 points while Greg Royster was in 11th place with 3,558 points. Stephen Harris of Georgia leads the competition with 4,225 points.
With day one completed in the heptathlon, Wilks’ teammate Chelsea Hammond sits in fourth place with 3,113 points. Hyleas Fountain of Georgia currently leads the heptathlon with 3,550 points.
Wilks and Chelsea Hammond placed 2-3 in the 100m hurdles running in the heptathlon competition. Wilks placed second with a time of 13.53 while Hammond was third with a time of 14.40.
In the high jump portion of the heptathlon competition, Hammond tied for fifth, jumping a height of 5’5.75″. Wilks tied for seventh with a mark of 5’4.5″. Wilks was the runner-up in the 200m dash with a time of 24.66.
Townsend finished fifth in the 100m dash portion of the decathlon, the lone event to occur before the severe weather delay. Townsend ran a time of 10.99 in the dash. Royster placed 11th with a time of 11.33.
Townsend also placed second in a pair of decathlon events, finishing as the runner-up in the high jump (6′ 7″) as well as the 400m dash (49.15).
On the first day of competition, heptathlon athletes will compete in a total of four events while decathlon athletes will compete in five events. Check out www.uscsports.com for a link to live results for the SEC Track and Field Championships.
