Though the NCAA track season is over, several current and former Rebels competed in the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships last weekend.
Four former Ole Miss athletes competed in the events, three of which received medals for their performances. The group was led by pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, who shattered records at Ole Miss during his collegiate career. Kendricks reached 5.75 meters, or 18-10 1/4, in the pole vault, earning him the gold medal. The second place finisher’s height was 5.60 meters— almost a half-foot lower than Kendricks. Kendricks won the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships last year as well, and won two NCAA outdoor titles and an SEC title during his career at Ole Miss.
Britney Reese also performed well, earning a silver medal with a long jump of 6.97 meters, or 22-10 1/2. Reese has won five gold medals at the World or Indoor World Championships since 2009 and has competed in the Olympics twice, winning the gold in the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Isaiah Young received a silver medal for his time of 19.93 seconds in the 200-meter race, also earning fourth place in the 100-meter race with a time of 10 seconds. Young was previously a First Team All-American twice and an SEC Champion in his collegiate career with the Rebels, and competed in the 2012 Olympics and the 2013 World Championships.
All three of them will represent the USA in the Bejing World Championships this year.
Meanwhile, former SEC Athlete of the Year Ricky Robertson placed seventh in high jump, jumping 2.25 meters, or 7-4 1/2. Robertson was an All-American multiple times while at Ole Miss.
As for current men’s Rebels, sophomore Craig Engles finished 16th in the preliminary 800 meter races with a time of 1 minute, 48.56 seconds. Fellow sophomore Jalen Miller placed 25th in the 100-meter race after timing in at 0:10.19.
Meanwhile, junior Holland Sherrer and freshman Shannon Ray competed from the women’s team, with Sherrer running the 800-meter race in 1:48.83, good for 16th in the preliminary race. Ray competed in the women’s 200-meter race with a time of 0:23.59 seconds, giving her the 24th spot in the preliminary. Freshman Brooke Felmeier also competed, but in the USA Track and Field Junior Championships, where she finished fifth in the 800-meter race with a time of 2:10.57 seconds.
