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5/11/2006 Commodore Senior Sets PRs in Three Events Thursday Fayetteville, Ark. – Vanderbilt’s Garnetta Holloway moved into contention for the Southeastern Conference individual heptathlon title with personal best performances in two of four events staged Thursday at the University of Arkansas. Timely performances by Holloway in the shot put and 200-meter dash allowed the senior from Cleveland, Tenn., to conclude the first day of activities in fourth place with 3,137 points. Surprising Mississippi State freshman Marissa Harris leads the 12-woman field with 3,240 points, followed by Keke Clarke of South Carolina with 3,232 points and Sarah Gretzmacher of Georgia with 3,165 points. Pre-event favorite Megan Akre of LSU, winner of the SEC indoor pentathlon, trails Holloway in fifth with 3,134 points. On Friday, Holloway will attempt to overcome Harris, Clarke and Gretzmacher in the final three events of the heptathlon — long jump, javelin throw and 800-meter run. The three events are among Holloway’s best heptathlon activities. “I was really proud of how Garnetta competed today,” Vanderbilt Head Coach Lori Shepard said. “She put herself in a position to really go for it Friday. I think Garnetta is one of five or six heptathletes with a chance to win.” Holloway is attempting to become the second Commodore woman in three years to capture the SEC heptathlon championship, joining Josie Hahn, who won the event at the 2004 competition. Holloway opened the heptathlon by slightly lowering her personal best in the 100-meter hurdles with a 14.92 effort. She dropped in the standings after the second event when clearing only 5’3″ in the high jump. In 11th place after the hurdles and high jump, Holloway moved back into contention with the record-breaking shot put performance. Her toss of 38’1.25″ — best among all competitors — eclipsed a previous career best in the event by three feet, allowing Holloway to pass five competitors in the overall standings. Off the superb shot put effort, Holloway came through again in the final event of the day, knocking .03 seconds off her previous best in the 200 meters with a 24.71 clocking. The performance, second best among the field, pushed Holloway into fourth place. The 3,137-point total is the highest first-day accumulation ever by Holloway, breaking her former best by 65 points established last month at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville. To contend for the title Friday, Holloway needs to start quickly. In the first event Friday, she needs to push her long jump personal best of 19’0″. Harris, Clarke, Akre and Holloway are among the top horizontal jumpers in the competition. Holloway should score well in the javelin, the second event on Friday. She enters the competition with the second best throw in the field, behind only Georgia’s Gretzmacher. The heptathlon title will not be decided until the final event, the 800-meter run. With Gretzmacher and Akre enterings as the top 800-meter runners, Holloway’s recent training indicates she is prepared to substantially lower her personal best of 2.25.75. |
