Cralle earns Southland honor
4/13/2011 3:25:00 PM | Track & Field
Chris Cralle, Sam Houston senior thrower from College Station, Texas, has been named as Southland Conference men's outdoor track and field "athlete of the week" after winning the hammer at the Texas Relays.
Cralle became only the second Bearkat athlete to win gold at the Texas Relays Thursday. He took first place in the men's hammer throw with a mark of 221 feet, one inch (67.38 meters).
Jennie Sewell was the first Bearkat to win an event at the Texas Relays, one of the premier track and field events in the nation each year. Sewell won gold in the women's pole vault in 2007
Cralle out-distanced a field of 19 finalists that included defending NCAA champion Walter Henning of LSU. Cralle made his winning toss on his final attempt.
Dimitrios Fylladitakis of UTEP was the runner-up, nearly six feet behind Cralle. Fylladitakis threw 215 feet, eight inches. Michael Lauro of LSU (210' 6"), Robert Keogh of Temple (208' 4") and Henning (207' 7") finished third through fifth, respectively.
Cralle's throw is the third longest by a Sam Houston State track and field athlete in university competition. Cralle has thrown 224 feet and 223 feet, four inches in his first two meets outdoors this spring.
