Okoro Leads Louisville Track and Field at Cardinal Twilight, Breaks Discus School Record

Chinwe Okoro ranks first in the East region in the shot put and discus events.

 

May 11, 2012

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Having a pair of top-five national marks didn’t stop thrower Chinwe Okoro from striving to climb the descending order list.

 

Okoro, who is tied for fifth nationally in the shot put, set the school record in the discus to lead the University of Louisville track and field teams at the Cardinal Twilight, a last-chance meet, on Friday evening at Cardinal Park Track and Soccer Stadium.

 

Behind a throw of 58.25m/191-1 in the discus event, Okoro broke Jere’ Summers’ four-year-old record of 57.68m/189-3. Coincidentally, Summers, who graduated from Louisville, was on-hand and took runner-up in the event. Okoro’s mark ranks first regionally and third nationally. A senior, Okoro etched her name in the record book earlier this season by claiming the school record in the shot put. Currently, she ranks first regionally in the shot put.

 

Along with Okoro, field event athletes Michelle Theophille, Charachesicia Lockhart and Malina Simmers also posted wins in their respective events. Theophille, who tied the school’s high jump record at the BIG EAST Championships to win the title, cleared 1.80m/5-10.75. Lockhart secured the long jump crown, and Simmers posted a season-best 12.51m/41-0.50 in the triple jump, a distance that won the competition and ranks 47th in the region.

 

On the track, Gabrielle Jackson also improved her standing at the regional level. She clocked a time of 1:00.21 in the 400m hurdles to take runner-up and move to 47th in the East in the event.

 

Andrew Stewart had the top finish for the men, placing third in the 1,500m behind a season-best time of 3:48.29. Jordon Frazier (400m hurdles) and Gordon Dooley (5,000m) also had top-five finishes in their respective events on the track.

 

In the field events, Sam Bombaugh took fourth in the hammer throw. His season-best 60.63m/198-11 in the hammer throw ranks 23rd in the region.

 

A trio of former letterwinners also had strong showings. Matt Hughes (1,500m) and Michael Eaton (5,000m) won their respective events, while Tarah McKay-Korir, wife of Louisville letterwinner and Boston Marathon titlist, Wesley Korir, captured the 1,500m title on the women’s side.

 

The Cardinals return to action in two weeks at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in Jacksonville, Fla., from June 24-26. Competition will take place on the campus of the University of North Florida.

 

For all of the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to UofLsports.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/louisvilletrack.

 

CARDINAL TWILIGHT (LOUISVILLE, KY. - CARDINAL PARK TRACK AND SOCCER STADIUM)

 

Men’s High Jump

6. Taylor Caldwell – 2.03m/6-8

 

Women’s High Jump

1. Michelle Theophille – 1.80m/5-10.75

4. Maggie Gilbertson – 1.73m/5-8

 

Men’s Pole Vault

11. Kevin Jackson – 4.66m/15-3.50

 

Women’s Long Jump

1. Charachesicia Lockhart – 6.05m/19-10.25 (wind: 0.5)

4. Kim Cardeiro – 5.63m/18-5.75 (wind: 1.2)

 

Women’s Triple Jump

1. Malina Simmers – 12.51m/41-0.50 (wind: 2.1)

 

Men’s Shot Put

11. Brad Vivace – 16.28m/53-5

 

Women’s Shot Put

3. Khadija Abdullah – 16.34m/53-7.50

4. Amashi Kendall – 15.96m/52-4.50

Chinwe Okoro – FOUL

 

Men’s Discus

13. Isaac Bowling – 45.19m/148-3

 

Women’s Discus

1. Chinwe Okoro – 58.25m/191-1

4. Khadija Abdullah – 51.14m/167-9

12. Amashi Kendall – 44.48m/145-11

 

Men’s Hammer Throw

4. Sam Bombaugh – 60.60m/198-10

 

Women’s Hammer Throw

2. Amashi Kendall – 58.98m/193-6

4. Patrice Gates – 55.39m/181-9

12. Hannah Baker – 49.89m/163-8

 

Men’s 110m Hurdles

7. Calvin Arsenault – 14.55

 

Men’s 400m

8. Marcellus Hobbs – 49.34

 

Women’s 400m

6. Michelle Theophille – 56.37

 

Men’s 400m Hurdles

5. Jordon Frazier – 53.12

 

Women’s 400m Hurdles

2. Gabrielle Jackson – 1:00.21

 

Women’s 800m

6. Jordan Diaz – 2:14.32

 

Men’s 1,500m

3. Andrew Stewart – 3:48.29

4. Luke Lovelace – 3:48.52

11. Mattias Wolter – 3:55.66

14. Ryan Eaton – 3:59.06

 

Women’s 1,500m

3. Madie Davidson – 4:27.24

13. Maria Frigo – 4:42.97

 

Men’s 5,000m

5. Gordon Dooley – 14:39.31

 

-ig-

 

For More Information, Contact:

Ira Green, (502) 852-4857

Ira.Green@louisville.edu