Camilla Richardsson, Sid Vaughn Jr. capture 10,000-meter titles on opening night following impressive hammer event

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Brooke Andersen and Camilla Richardsson both arrived Wednesday in Southern California from Flagstaff, Ariz., with long distances in mind entering the 60th Mt. SAC Relays.

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Despite competing at venues 40 miles apart Thursday, both enjoyed significant personal bests to capture women’s titles in the ring and on the track on the opening day of competition at the annual three-day meet.

Andersen, a Northern Arizona senior, ascended to the No. 5 all-time collegiate performer and 10th in U.S. history in the hammer throw with a second-round effort of 236 feet, 8 inches (72.15m) at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Andersen said. “It’s so awesome to have my work finally show in a meet because in practice, it’s been feeling good the past couple of months, but now I actually have the mark in a meet to prove that I can be up there with everyone else.”

Richardsson, representing Finland, shaved nearly a minute off her personal best in the women’s 10,000 meters to win the race in 32:39.01 at El Camino College in Torrance.

Richardsson, a five-time national champion, benefited from a recent two-month altitude training camp in Flagstaff before returning home Friday to Finland with her sights set on racing the 3,000 steeplechase at the European Outdoor Championships in August in Berlin.

“It felt really good today, so I was just going with the flow,” said Richardsson, who ran 33:37.76 in 2016.
“The girls actually didn’t go that fast in the beginning, so maybe I could have gone with them, then again I was able to go quite fast on the second 5K. It’s better to do the 10K that way, than dying at the end. I’m still happy with my tactics.”

Peru’s Gladys Tejeda Pucuhuaran, part of the lead group that covered the first 5K in 16:15, finished second in 32:44.49. American Elaina Tabb, also part of the front pack the entire race, placed third in 32:47.83.

Utah senior Grayson Murphy was the top collegiate athlete, placing fifth in a program-record 33:17.85, just in front of Portland redshirt junior Lauren LaRocco in sixth in 33:18.62. They rank seventh and eighth in NCAA Division 1 this season.

Andersen elevated to No. 5 in the world this year with her performance, becoming the first collegiate female athlete since 2007 and just the fourth in meet history to win the hammer throw at Mt. SAC.

“It brings me so much joy,” Andersen said. “It just makes me happy, I don’t even have the words, honestly, I haven’t really even taken it in yet that I actually threw that today. It makes me really happy to know I accomplished that today.”

Minnesota redshirt junior Temi Ogunrinde ascended to the No. 5 collegiate thrower this year with a second-round effort of 221-3 (67.45m) and Virginia Tech sophomore Emma Thor improved to No. 9 with a first-round mark of 212-9 (64.85m).

Reigning U.S. men’s champion Alex Young produced four throws beyond his previous personal best, including a fifth-round effort of 249-10 (76.14m) to become the first American to capture the men’s title since 2015. Young elevated from the No. 24 all-time U.S. performer to No. 13.

“I’m super excited. I just came out here originally wanting to throw like 73m or 74m,” said Young, who ascended to No. 10 in the world this year.

“I tried not to limit myself, but that was just kind of the goal and that would have been a success, but God had another plan for me and said, ‘Let’s go another three meters.’ It’s weird, because I actually felt like I still have a lot left, which is kind of crazy because I just PR’d today. There is definitely more in the tank, for sure.”

Georgia junior Denzel Comenentia, the Dutch national record holder and No. 7 performer in the world this year, opened the competition with a 249-3 (75.97m) throw. Unfortunately for Comenentia, the collegiate leader at 250-3 (76.29m), he had only one fair throw the rest of the day and couldn’t respond once Young took the lead in the fifth round.

Defending champion Diego Del Real of Mexico placed third with a sixth-round throw of 243 feet (74.07m).

Former Georgia standout Sid Vaughn Jr., representing Hudson Elite, won the men’s 10,000 in dramatic fashion, relying on a late surge to prevail against Parker Stinson by a 28:32.06 to 28:32.11 margin.

Georgia Tech senior Nahom Solomon set a program record by placing seventh in 29:07.98, the top collegiate performer in the race. Solomon ranks No. 18 in Division 1 this season.