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Dante’s inferno: Daniels scorches
track at qualifier
Release Date: May 18, 2006
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Dante
Daniels |
MONMOUTH, Ill. — It was witnessed
by only a handful of teammates, coaches and rival competitors. There
were no cheering masses, no TV cameras.
In fact, said MC track coach Roger Haynes, one of his team members
commented “there are as many coaches here as there are athletes.”
But what Dante Daniels did Wednesday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was one
of the most impressive performances in the history of Monmouth
College track and field.
Daniels took over the title of “Monmouth’s fastest man” by
shattering the school record in the 100-meter dash at a last chance
qualifier meet hosted by Coe College. He blazed down the track in
10.49 seconds to blow past Keenan King’s 2003 mark of 10.68. The
time automatically qualifies Daniels for the national meet and moves
him up to No. 4 in the nation.
But the junior’s day wasn’t done, as he also improved his 200-meter
dash, running the third-fastest time in school history. He made it
halfway around the track in 21.44 seconds, moving into the top 10
nationally as he lowered his season-best by nearly a tenth of a
second.
Haynes said the historic performance almost didn’t happen.
“We had planned to run the 400, not the 100,” he said. “But when we
got there, it was very breezy in the 400 backstretch. There was a
good field in the 100, with three kids from Dubuque and multiple
All-American Brandon Tripp of Greenville, so we decided that was the
thing to do instead.”
Haynes said that the breeze certainly helped in the 100, but he used
a competitor to prove that it wasn’t the sole factor, noting that
“Tripp’s (runner-up) time was 15 hundredths of a second faster than
he had this year. The wind explains some of Dante’s time drop, but I
knew that when he ran 10.73 in the rain and cold at the conference
meet that he had run extremely fast. I think that biggest thing is
that Dante is very, very good at rising to the occasion.”
In the 200, Daniels followed his race model to a “T,” closing down
Tripp’s meter lead in the final curve and eventually topping him by
half a second.
“I was making fun of Dante that he had been behind in the race, but
he just pointed to the final 50 meters of the track and said, ‘You
told me this is what really matters,’” said Haynes. “Another big key
was how he prepared. He told me he wanted to go (to nationals) in
something.”
Daniels was just one of several Fighting Scots who improved their
status for next week’s national meet.
Shannon Turczyn also became a serious All-American candidate with
her school-record time of 14.63 in the 100-meter hurdles. She
eclipsed the mark of 14.74 set by Christy Hickey in 1996.
“Shannon is a very effective hurdler in the air,” said Haynes of the
freshman. “We need to continue to work with her as a sprinter. She’s
not in the elite class there yet, but she’s very efficient on the
hurdles.”
While the hurdle record was 10 years old, another women’s record
that fell was set less than a week ago. Jessica White topped her own
mark in the pole vault, clearing 11’10 to edge ever closer to a
possible All-American finish next week.
“Jessica was awfully good,” said Haynes. “She had good jumps at
11’2, 11’8 and 11’10, and she also had good jumps at 12’1.”
Zach Wilson also made a move up the national rankings in the shot
put, improving to 53’1-1/2 and moving from the 18th position to
13th, leaving him in “pretty good shape” to qualify for nationals,
according to Haynes.
Wilson then threw 171’9 in his first hammer attempt but was unable
to uncork a season-best throw in his final five attempts. He remains
in the 25th position nationally with a throw of 172’6.
Another thrower, Jen Babos, entered the national rankings with a
provisional-qualifying heave of 137’2 in the discus.
For Monmouth athletes, the Coe meet really wasn’t their “last
chance,” as they will compete again Friday at Augustana. The meet
will provide one final opportunity to post a mark that ranks in the
nation’s top 16.
Pole vaulter Megan McKenna and 800-meter runner Kel Bond will be
among those trying to reach that “sweet 16.” Bond would have to drop
about a second off his top time of 1:53.59, while McKenna needs to
rise above her best of 11’2-1/4.
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