Indiana’s Kharun Set Javelin MR In 2003
Irina Kharun of Indiana put on a clinic in the javelin at the 2003 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Sacramento, California.
The native of Ukraine – whose last name is pronounced “huh-roon” – started off with a PR 58.36m (191-6) – more than 10 feet farther than anyone else in the field had thrown all year and gave her a nice 25-foot (7.60m) lead on the field.
As it turned out, that mark would have been good enough to win, but Kharun came back in Round 3 with an improvement to 59.05m (193-8) to extend her lead to just over 27 feet (8.29m).
It looked like the rout was on, as the largest margin of victory in meet history – including the pre-2000 competitions with the old-style javelin – was the 5.68m (18-8) that Purdue’s Serene Ross had registered in 2002 when she set an American record at 59.64m (195-8).
The margin got reduced in Round 5 when Southern California’s Inga Stasiulionyte – the 2001 NCAA champ and 2002 runner-up – moved into second at 52.26m (171-5). Kharun now led by “only” some 22 feet (6.79m).
As Round 6 wound down to Kharun’s last throw, victory became secure and Kharun made the final collegiate effort of her career one to remember.
Kharun “approached the final throw with her usual slow run-up, yet powerful finish,” wrote Dan Lilot of Track & Field News. The result was a staggering 61.82m (202-10) – a collegiate record and the first 200-footer with the new-style javelin.
The winning margin of 9.56m (31-5) not only shattered the event’s largest, it was – and remains – the largest by a woman in any throwing event in meet history.
To this day, Kharun’s magnificent throw has been exceeded only once by a collegian – Maggie Malone of Texas A&M when she set the current CR of 62.19 (204-0) at the 2016 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The NCAA and collegiate track & field will mark a momentous milestone in the spring of 2021 -- the 100th anniversary of the NCAA Championships and with that, the NCAA Track & Field Championships. In June 1921, the University of Chicago hosted the first track & field championships in NCAA history.
This point can’t be emphasized enough: Not only was the event the first for NCAA track & field, but the first championships for any sport under the sponsorship of the NCAA.
To celebrate, over each of the next 365 days, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) will celebrate moments, student-athletes, and coaches that have made a century’s worth of championships special. From humble beginnings to important historical milestones to the modern-day, collegiate track & field has evolved with the American society.
The 2021 edition of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships begin with preliminary round action on May 27-29 in Jacksonville, Fla., and College Station, Texas. The championships final site and culmination of the celebration is slated for June 9-12, 2021 at the newly rebuilt Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Texas’ Hooker High Jumped To NCAA Glory
Destinee Hooker won three career high jump titles at the NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships, including a massive victory in 2009 by more than two inches.
De Grasse Sprinted To Otherworldly Double
Andre De Grasse completed the 100-200 double at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with scorching times: 9.75 (+2.7) in the 100; 19.58 (+2.4) in the 200.
Merritt Broke Long-Standing 110H MR In 2006
Aries Merritt broke a 28-year-old meet record in the 110H when he won the crown at the 2006 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships in 13.21.
UGA’s Torrence Made NCAA History With Double
Gwen Torrence completed the 100-200 double at the 1987 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Torrence was also the first woman to finish top-8 four times in the 100.
Bayer Gave It His All For NCAA 1500 Title
Andrew Bayer won the 1500 at the 2012 NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field Championships in one of the closest finishes in meet history – 0.01 seconds.
Tipton Led 1-2-3 Oregon Finish In 1964 JT
Les Tipton led the first podium sweep of any event in the history of the NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. Tipton and his Oregon teammates went 1-2-3 in the 1964 javelin.
K-State’s Jones Captured Heptathlon Crown In 2015
Akela Jones won the heptathlon at the 2015 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships with 6371 points. That is the fourth-best score in both collegiate history & meet history.
Same Athletes, Same Result For LSU At NCAAs
The LSU foursome of Bennie Brazell, Pete Coley, Robert Parham, Kelly Willie swept the 4×100 & 4×400 crowns at the 2003 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships.
Martin Won Distance Titles For Two Programs
Francis (Frank) Martin made history twice in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
FSU’s Williams Soared To Jumps Double In 2009
Kim Williams swept the horizontal jumps at the 2009 NCAA DI Outdoor T&F Championships. Williams was particularly dominant in the TJ, winning at 14.38m (47-2¼) & by nearly 2 feet.