Solomon Wins National Title at 200 Meters

March 10, 2006

South Carolina standout sprinter Shalonda Solomon was crowned NCAA champion in the women’s 200 meters and Greig Cryer took the bronze medal in the men’s long jump, highlighting the Gamecocks’ efforts on the first day of the 2006 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, held today at the Randal Tyson Track Center on the University of Arkansas campus.

Solomon’s victory earned the Gamecock women 10 team points, which puts them in 10th place after seven events were scored. Texas leads the women’s team scoring with 25 points. North Carolina (20), Southern California (19), Stanford (18) and Georgia (18) round out the top five. The six points earned by the Cryer for the men’s squad has them in a five-way tie for 15th place after seven events were scored. Arkansas leads the men’s competition with 24 points, followed by Oregon (20), Florida State (20) and BYU (16).

Solomon, a sophomore from Inglewood, Calif., won the 200 meters in a school record time of 22.57 seconds. It is the fastest time recorded in the world this year. She reached the finals after posting a time of 22.60 seconds in the prelims. Now a five-time All-American, the former Long Beach Poly star has clipped nearly a half a second off the previous school record of 23.03 that Aleen Bailey registered in 2003.

“I went into the race relaxed, believing that God would help me through it,” said Solomon. “I got to the curve and just keep going. It was such a strong field that they pushed me and I pushed them to those fast times,” continued Solomon. “I don’t think it has sunk it yet, but it will feel great when I realize (what I accomplished).”

Solomon will get a couple more chances to add to her jewelry case on Saturday, as she reached the finals of the 60-meter dash with her fastest time of the season, stopping the clock in 7.21 seconds, the fifth-fastest prelim time. She will also anchor USC’s 4×400 meter relay.

“The 60 is not my best event,” admitted Solomon. “I’ll just try to stay focused.”

Cryer, a senior from North Charleston, S.C., fouled on his first jump, then hit a personal best jump of 7.92 meters (26 feet even) on his second attempt. That effort stood up for a third place finish behind Arturs Abolins of Nebraska (8.11 meters) and Fabrice Lapierre of Texas A&M (8.04 meters).

“It felt good,” said Cryer. “I was blessed to have the opportunity to compete against the best long jumpers in the nation. I’m pleased with what I did. I knew (after I hit that first jump) that I would have to go further to win. I tried to keep my composure and not celebrate.”

Cryer will get another chance for the gold medal, as he is entered in Saturday’s triple jump event.

“I’m anxious for the triple jump,” admitted Cryer, leaving no doubt about his goal. “Third is good, but first is better.”

The rest of the Gamecocks’ squad did not enjoy the same success that Solomon and Cryer enjoyed on Friday.

Sophomore sprinter Amberly Nesbitt, who entered the meet with the nation’s second-fastest time in the 60-meter dash (7.21) did not get off to her usual great start and finished in a time of 7.24 seconds, placing 10th overall, and missing the finals by one-hundredth of a second. Disappointed with that performance, she struggled in the 200 meters, finishing in 23.91 to place 15th overall.

Sophomore 60-meter hurdler Jason Richardson matched his season-best time of 7.83 seconds in the prelims to gain the eighth and final spot in the finals by just five-thousandths of a second. However, bad luck struck the Cedar Hill, Texas native in the finals when he clipped a hurdle late in the race, stumbled and fell, and did not finish.

Chelesa Hammond was the first competitor of the day for the Gamecocks, appearing in the women’s long jump event. The senior, competing in her last collegiate meet, fouled on her first two attempts, then leaped 6.15 meters (20-2.25) on her third attempt, well off her season-best mark of 6.52 meters (21-4.75). The effort was only good for 11th place, keeping her from reaching the finals and the three additional jumps. Hammond, who has been hampered by a foot injury over the last month, will have one final chance to redeem herself, as she will compete in the pentathlon on Saturday.

Shay Shelton, running in an NCAA meet for the first time, took an early lead in her heat of the 800-meter run. She led the race through the first two laps, covering the first 400 meters in around 61 seconds, but began to falter and finished sixth in her heat and 15th overall with a time of 2:08.02, nearly two seconds off the time she turned in at the Last Chance Meet in Ames, Iowa last weekend. The junior from Mesquite, Texas was the only member of the USC squad to be crowned SEC champion at the conference meet two weeks ago. She will make one more appearance in this meet, running the third leg of USC’s 4×400 meter relay in Saturday’s final event.

Ronnetta Alexander was slow getting out of the blocks and ran an 8.21 in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, finishing 12th overall, missing the finals by five-hundredths of a second. The sophomore from Williamsville, N.Y. had a season-best time of 8.17 seconds, which ranked ninth among the competitors entering Friday’s prelims.

Senior Leroy Dixon, running in the first of four heats in the men’s 200-meter dash, looked to be in good shape as he came around the final curve in second place, but grabbed his left hamstring with about 50 meters remaining. Although he was able to limp to the finish line, he placed 15th in a time of 21.62 seconds.

The meet will conclude on Saturday at the Tyson Track Center. Those competing for the Gamecocks include Solomon in the 60-meter dash finals, Cryer in the triple jump, Hammond in the pentathlon, Cheryl Terrio in the pole vault, and the women’s 4×400 meter relay (Natasha Hastings, Chiquita Martin, Shay Shelton, Shalonda Solomon).

FRIDAY’S USC RESULTS:

WOMEN’S FINALS:

200 meter dash: 1. Shalonda Solomon 22.60.

MEN’S FINALS:

60 meter Hurdles: -. Jason Richardson DNF.

Long Jump: 3. Greig Cryer 7.92m (26-0.00).

WOMEN’S PRELIMS:

60 meter dash: 5. Shalonda Solomon 7.21q; 10. Amberly Nesbitt 7.24.

200 meter dash: 1. Shalonda Solomon 22.60q; 15. Amberly Nesbitt 23.91.

800 meters: 15. Shay Shelton 2:08.02.

60 meter Hurdles: 12. Ronnetta Alexander 8.21.

Long Jump: 11. Chelsea Hammond 6.15m (20-2.25).