Tyson Invitational report
Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/216954/
Nelson makes it family trip
FAYETTEVILLE — If only this many members of the extended Nelson family could be there to cheer shot putter Adam Nelson on in the Beijing Summer Olympics.
“If I could pay for them all, I would,” said Nelson, who had 25 family members, many from central Arkansas, at the Tyson Track Center on Friday night for the Tyson Invitational.
Nelson, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, threw 73 feet, 6 inches to not only take first place but record the world’s best distance this year and the third-longest ever in an indoor meet. What made it more special was being in Arkansas, where the 32-year-old from Charlottesville, Va., last visited four years ago under less celebratory circumstances. A cousin passed away, and Nelson joined family members, most of whom reside in Turner, for the funeral.
“It’s great to be here under different circumstances,” Nelson said. “They’re kind of from all over mid-Arkansas, so they drove about six hours to get here. I requested 25 tickets, and we used them all. I have cousins, aunts and uncles, mom and dad, my sister, brother-inlaw and my wife as well.
“ Different events have different meanings. This was a powerful event for me. It was the first time I’ve been able to throw in front of my family. My family’s never seen me throw that far.” Provisionals for Hogs
Three Razorbacks — Chris Bilbrew and Alex McClary in the 800, and Tyler Hill in the 5, 000 — recorded NCAA Championship provisional times against a talented pro field in Friday’s evening program.
“I wanted to go under 1: 50. I thought I could get it this week, but I was short,” said Bilbrew, a freshman who finished in 1: 50. 27. “Next time, I’ve got to get under 1: 50.”
Both Bilbrew in the 800 and Hill in the 5, 000 ran behind former Razorbacks who as professionals won their races: Alistair Cragg in the 5, 000 and James Hatch in the 800.
Bilbrew said training with Hatch in recent weeks made any potential nerves easier to handle. It was a little more overwhelming for Hill, who took fifth in 13: 57. 07.
“I’ve never run in a race this big in my life,” said Hill, who admitted to some butterflies in the first few laps. “Once you get going, you start passing some guys and you realize, ‘Hey, they’re big-time and I’m passing them. ’” Not bugged by flu
A bout with the flu couldn’t slow Razorback runner Micky Cobrin.
Cobrin, a senior from Chicago, ran a near-automatic qualifying time of 4 minutes, 0. 87 seconds in the mile at the Tyson Invitational on Friday.
Cobrin had been worried about his performance when he woke up sick Tuesday morning. He skipped his workout that day to rest, and the strategy paid off with a personal-best run Friday.
“I was a little worried because you only get so many opportunities,” Cobrin said of his sickness earlier this week. “I said, ‘ S **** it, I’m going to do it.’”
Cobrin said Arkansas Coach John McDonnell gave him a brief motivational speech, basically telling him if he didn’t concern himself with the flu, the flu wouldn’t bother him. Cobrin said he knew he had a fast time in him, flu or no flu. “I can go faster at SEC,” Cobrin said. “I have to go faster anyway. I knew I was going to be at about four minutes. I knew I should run that fast.”
Odds and ends LSU freshman Trindon Holliday, who as a freshman running back won a national championship for LSU in football, earned another honor Friday with a victory in the 60-meter dash, barely outrunning 2006 world indoor champion Leonard Scott. Holliday ran a 6. 60 and Scott 6. 62.... Friday’s crowd of 4, 519 was the secondlargest in the meet’s history and the 16 th-most-attended meet at the Tyson Track Center.... Aaron Ross, a starting cornerback for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, attended the event.... ESPN will televise Friday’s meet at 4 p. m. Sunday.