Chris Cralle wins Southland men's hammer
5/9/2008 1:00:00 AM | Track & Field
By Gene Schallenberg
Huntsville Item Sports
Having already qualified for the NCAA Regionals earlier in the outdoor season, Sam Houston State sophomore Chris Cralle headed into Friday's opening day of the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships with a goal of 200 feet in the hammer throw.
Not only did Cralle accomplish that feat to win first place, but broke a conference record in the process.
“We really had some great competition today,” Cralle said after receiving his gold medal. “Everybody stepped up and everybody did well. I think that's the most important thing ? when you're in a competition and everybody does their best.”
After seeing Stephen F. Austin's Matt Langdon throw 57.70 meters, Cralle, in his first attempt in the preliminary round, chucked the hammer 60.13 meters (197 feet, 3 inches), breaking a Southland Conference and a York Track and Field Complex at Bowers Stadium record.
The previous Southland Conference record was held by Texas State-San Marcos's Robert Melin, who set the mark of 57.88 meters at last year's SLC meet at Stephen F. Austin. Texas-Arlington's Kelley Jackson set the record at the York Complex with a distance of 51.2 meters in 2005.
As good as Cralle's first attempt was, he wasn't satisfied because he didn't quite make it out to 200 feet.
On his next attempt, Cralle broke his own record, throwing the hammer a distance of 60.9 meters (199 feet, 10 inches) just shy of his goal.
But on his first attempt in the finals, Cralle busted through and broke records a third time, throwing 61.02 meters (200 feet, 2 inches).
“I wanted to throw over what I threw, but I was happy to throw 200,” Cralle said. “After throwing 199-10, it was a relief to throw 200.”
Cralle proved to be too much for the field as the closest any of the other participants got was Langdon's first attempt. Cralle was also the only finalist not to fault on any of his six attempts.
“(Winning) is a good thing,” Cralle said. “The conference has gotten stronger every year that they've had the hammer. It's a relatively young event. It's just good that everybody's stepping up at the conference meet.”
Langdon took the silver medal, while McNeese State's Freddie Hannie won the bronze, throwing 57.53 meters to also earn a spot in the regionals.
SAM HOUSTON STATE MEN'S SOUTHLAND RESULTS
Hammer Throw 1 Chris Cralle 61.02mM 200-02 10 Javelin 9 Kelby Shandy-Kerby 53.12m 174-03
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
Friday, May 9 through Sunday, May 11 Meredith and Miriam York Track Complex at Bowers Stadium Huntsville, Texas
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