No. 13 Razorbacks earn 16th SEC triple crown with 20th SEC Outdoor title
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Battling each of the three days of the conference meet, the No. 13 Razorbacks won its 20th SEC Outdoor championship and secured a 16th SEC triple crown in the process at E.B. Cushing Stadium. Arkansas totaled 129 points to defeat Alabama (109) and LSU (108) for the team title.
“I’m just really proud of this team,” said Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam. “We said coming into this championship it’s a three-day meet and not a one-day meet. There’s a big difference. We usually gain steam and our momentum as we go through each day.
“We kept plugging along and came out with a big win for the program, the state of Arkansas, and the University of Arkansas. I’m so proud of these guys.”
Following the top three teams were Florida (74), Kentucky (70), Tennessee (67), Texas A&M (67), Georgia (48) and Ole Miss (43).
The Razorbacks scored 26 points in the 5,000m to secure the title as Amon Kemboi claimed Arkansas’ lone victory on the weekend. Kemboi clocked a winning time of 13:52.98 while Emmanuel Cheboson was runner-up in 13:59.28. Gilbert Boit (14:05.27) and Matt Young (14:12.29) finished fourth and sixth.
Alabama’s Vincent Kiprop, originally second, and Razorback Luke Meade, who finished fifth, were disqualified in the race.
“We’ve been going to that distance well a bunch of times this year, but we never would have been in that position if it wasn’t for our vaulter, jumpers, sprinters and hurdlers,” noted Bucknam. “It was a complete team effort, just like indoors, but even better this outdoor season.”
Kemboi also earned a bronze medal in the 1,500m with a time of 3:40.41 behind Alabama’s Eliud Kipsang (3:37.99) and Waleed Suliman of Ole Miss (3:38.86).
LaQuan Nairn added a bronze medal in the triple jump after earning one in the long jump on Friday. Nairn, competing in the first flight, put up a leading mark of 53-9 ¾w (16.40) that was aided by a 3.8 wind. It was only surpassed by two jumpers among the second flight.
In the 4×400 relay, Arkansas produced a bronze medal finish in 3:04.96 with a foursome of Jeremy Farr, James Milholen, Nick Hilson (46.43), and Rhayko Schwartz (45.44).
The Razorback hurdle trio scored a dozen points off a 4-5-6 finish. Phillip Lemonious led the crew in 13.32w, followed by Tre’Bien Gilbert (13.48w) and Carl Elliott, III (13.52w).
Roman Turner placed sixth in the 100m (10.12w) while Nick Hilson and Jalen Brown each finished seventh, respectively, in the 400m hurdles (51.69) and 200m (20.72).
