Coastal Carolina’s Letitia Saayman was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week, while teammate Kierra Gabe was tabbed the Women’s Field Track Athlete of the Week for their top-tier efforts at the CCU/Shamrock Invitational.
Also, Coastal Carolina’s Jason Flanagan was tabbed the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for his record-setting efforts at the CCU/Shamrock Invitational.
After nearly breaking the Coastal Carolina all-time javelin record several times last season, Flanagan opened his senior campaign by checking that goal off the list as he threw for a CCU and CCU/Shamrock Invitational record 71.20m (233-11), which also tied the Big South Conference record, on Friday, March 16, at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium.
Flanagan’s record toss eclipsed that of former Coastal Carolina and Big South record holder Thomas Jordan’s mark of 70.87m (232-6) set in 2004. Flanagan equals Winthrop’s Jared Baird, who set the conference standard at the UNF Osprey Spring Break Invitational on March 3, atop the Big South record book.
Additionally, Flanagan’s mark currently ranks sixth in the NCAA and meets the Olympic trials B qualifying standard.
Saayman, a freshman from Pretoria, South Africa, placed first out of 49 runners in the 5,000m at the Shamrock Invitational over the weekend. She broke the tape in 17:20.29 to rank No. 5 in the NCAA East Region and ninth on the CCU all-time list.
Gabe, a senior, placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 12.50m (41-00.25) on her fourth attempt of the day at the Shamrock Invitational. Her mark is good for fifth in the NCAA East Region and seventh overall in the NCAA this season. Additionally, Gabe also placed third in the high jump with a height of 1.65m (5-05) at the event.
- Photo courtesy of CCU Athletics
