TIPPING A NUMBER of hurdles did not slow down Phillip Lemonious as he stormed to victory in the men’s tall stick final with a strong 13.24 effort. The Razorback junior led the race from start to finish.
The Jamaican’s PR performance was superior to his ’21 effort where he grabbed the bronze. Finishing 2nd here was De’Vion Wilson (13.26) a Houston junior who was able to hold on to the silver just ahead of Syracuse junior Jaheem Hayles (13.28). Adding to the blanket finish and just missing a medal was Omotade Ojora of USC (13.29).
Gino Roberts of Clemson was next (13.31), closely followed by favored Darius Luff of Nebraska as 0.07 separated places 1–5. A close race, indeed!
It was only appropriate that the meet was held at the same stadium in Austin where 3-time winner Grant Holloway of Florida won the 110s with a meet and collegiate record 12.98.
Missing from the semis was the SEC champion and pride of Tennessee, Devon Brooks (13.26), who took a nasty spill at the Eastern Regional meet. Also failing to qualify was Michigan senior Joshua Zeller, and Texas Tech’s Caleb Dean missed the cut in his semi.
Consecutive races saw Cameron Murray (13.39), Connor Schulman (13.33) and Lemonious (13.28) qualify as semi winners.
After the final Lemonious — Arkansas’s first winner since Omar McLeod in ’16 — said that his failure to advance from the West Regional last year served as motivation. Of the final itself, he said, “[Razorback associate head coach Doug Case] knew that my weakness had been the last 3 hurdles, as you guys could see. I just tried to recover pretty hard, and it worked out.”
Lemonious has an additional year of COVID-extended eligibility ahead of him.
MEN’S 110H RESULTS
FINAL (June 09; wind +1.8)
1. *Phillip Lemonious’ (Ar-Jam) 13.24 PR (CL) (9, x NCAA);
2. *De’Vion Wilson (Hous) 13.26 PR;
3. *Jaheem Hayles’ (Syr-Jam) 13.28 PR;
4. Omotade Ojora’ (USC-GB) 13.29 PR;
5. Giano Roberts (Clem) 13.31 PR;
6. *Darius Luff (Nb) 13.38;
7. *Connor Schulman (TxAM) 13.47;
8. Rasheem Brown’ (Tn-Cay) 13.50 PR;
… dnf—Cameron Murray (NCSt).
(best-ever mark-for-NCAA-place: 4–8)
SEMIS (June 07)
I(1.7)–1. Murray 13.39 PR; 2. Luff 13.40; 3. *Caleb Dean (TxT) 13.56; 4. Tayshaun Chisholm (DeSt) 13.63 PR; 5. **Johnny Brackins (USC) 13.64; 6. *Titus Moore (Samf) 13.89; 7. Josh Parks (UNCW) 13.99;… dq[pushing over hurdle]—*Sincere Rhea (Mia).
II(1.1)–1. Schulman 13.33 PR; 2. Ojora’ 13.36 PR; 3. Wilson 13.37 PR; 4. ***Matthew Sophia’ (LSU-Neth) 13.59 PR; 5. Bashiru Abdullahi’ (UTSA-Ngr) 13.68; 6. **Ethan Exilhomme (NEn) 13.69; 7. ***Antoine Andrews’ (TxT-Bah) 14.30;… dq[pushing over hurdle]—**Michael Buchanan (Mn).
III(1.1)–1. Lemonious’ 13.28; 2. Roberts 13.35 PR; 3. Hayles’ 13.47; 4. Brown’ 13.53 =PR; 5. *Gratt Reed (Ia) 13.55 (=fastest non-Q ever); 6. Cameron Harris (AF) 13.62; 7. *Filip Demsar’ (SC-Slo) 13.81; 8. Ahmad Young (Ms) 13.88.