Tamir Shatters UI Armory Triple Jump Record By 20 Centimeters; Morello Clears Lifetime Best Twice In Pole Vault; Illini Earn 12 Wins On Final Day Of Illini Challenge 

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Photo courtesy of Illinois Athletics

RESULTS/VIDEOS

In only her second collegiate competition, Illinois freshman Romi Tamir jumped an NCAA-leading mark in the women's triple jump on the final day of the Fighting Illini Challenge on Saturday at the University of Illinois Armory in Champaign.

Tamir, by way of Estonia, jumped 44 feet, 3.5 inches (13.50m) to take over the top mark in the NCAA, all while jumping an Illinois#2 and Armory record by 20 centimeters to better Yvonne Mensah's 2007 mark of 43-7.75 (13.30m).

Tamir led a 1-2-3 Illinois sweep in the women's triple jump with Mercy Honesty jumping an NCAA#3 43-10.75 (13.38m) in second and Katharina Graman jumping an NCAA#11 42-11 (13.08m) in third.

Tamir's triple jump win was one of eight on the day for the Illinois women, including another NCAA#1 from Mia Morrello in pole vault.

Entering the competition with a personal best clearance of 14-6.25 (4.43m), Morrello improved twice at 14-7.25 (4.45m) then her winning jump at 14-9 (4.50m) to move to No. 2 in Illinois history. Morrello made three attempts at 15-0.25 (4.58m), what would have been an Armory record, before bowing out.

NCAA long jump leader Sophia Beckmon won the women's competition with a third-round jump of 21-10.75 (6.67m) as well as the 60 meters in 7.36 seconds.

Phethisang Makhethe, NCAA#4 in women's weight throw, led another Illini 1-2-3 sweep, throwing 74-3.75 (22.65m) in weight throw. Jordan Koskondy, NCAA#3, finished second in 73-1.75 (22.29m) and Oluwatomilayo Akintunde, NCAA#9, finished third in 70-8 (21.54m). Reigning NCAA champion Taylor Kesner of Wisconsin finished fourth in 69-9.5 (21.27m).

Avril Andre won the mile (5:02.60), Grace Kombetto (2:51.11) won the 1,000 and Naomi Bey-Osborne won the 300 (38.90) for Illinois.

Former Illini standout Abria Smith broke the Armory record in women's shot put by over four feet, throwing a world-leading 62-11.50 (19.19m).

The Illinois men racked up four event wins, including an NCAA#8 mark from Viktor Morozov in triple jump. The senior ended the competition with sixth-round jump of 52-10 (16.10m). 

Javaris Ambrose threw a personal best 65-7 (19.99m) to capture the weight throw win, finishing ahead of teammate Reece Ihenacho in second in 62-8.50 (19.11m), a personal best.

Jackson Gilbert ran 34.07 to win the 300 and Pol Mollins ran 2:23.70 in the 1,000 for the Illini's only wins on the track.

In pole vault, former Akron Zip Hunter Garretson won at 18-7.25 (5.67m) and Illinois Cody Johnston, the reigning Big Ten outdoor champion, finished second at an NCAA#7 18-5.25 (5.62m) to improve his No. 2 all-time school mark by half-an-inch.