6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2008
TRACK AND FIELD
Team surpasses expectations at Jayhawk Classic
BY DANNY NORDSTROM
dnordstrom@kansan.com
It is evident that junior sprinter Jarrell Rollins is passionate about his University of Kansas track and field team. After a first place performance in the 600-yard run with a time of 1 minute, 12.28 seconds, Rollins was all smiles.
"You should see us!" Rollins said. "We're a very tough team. Coach expects a lot out of us and we expect a lot out of ourselves."
High expectations were met and surpassed Friday as the 11th ranked men and 27th ranked women took home 16 titles at the lajyawk Classic. The second home meet
in six days for the layhawks, the Classic showcased the team at its best against 19 other teams, including familiar opponents Wichita State and UMKC.
This past weekend at the Classic, Scott brought home his fourth title of the year, again surpassing NCAA Championship qualifying marks.
"Competing at home two weekends in a row is a huge opportunity," said Jordan Scott, sophomore polevaulter, two weeks ago at the Kansas Invitational.
Two home meets in a row also gave junior sprinter Nickesha Anderson the opportunity to break two more records. At the Classic, Anderson, a native of Hanover, Jamaica, broke
the school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.38 seconds and set a new Anschutz Sports Pavilion record in the 200-meter dash at 23.85 seconds.
Marta Brown KANSAI
The Jayhawks are traveling to Lincoln, Neb., and New York City in the upcoming weeks after impressive showings at both the Kansas Association and Friday's Jayhawk classic. Many students record for KU and posted qualifying times for the NCAA Championship on Friday.
Also impressive was Charity Stowers' dramatic victory in the 600-yard run with a time of 1:25.30. A late kick on the final lap gave Stowers the one-second victory over Oklahoma Baptist's Yesenia Avila.
Marla Keown/KANSAN
"Coach was telling me before the race just to stay in second and pace behind someone until the last lap and then just go all out," she said. "We changed the strategy up from last weekend and had good results."
Marla Keown/KANSAN
Libby Harmon, senior pole vaulter clears the bar Friday afternoon at Anchorage Sports Pavilion. Harmon placed third in the pole vault during the Javaykh classic track and field meet.
Stowers went on to comment about the benefits of competing at home.
"This is where we train, and this is where we come to represent KU," she said. "We practice here every day and we don't want anyone to come in here and embarrass us. I think it's great motivation just to go out there and get it done."
"It was a good race, I felt really strong," he said. "I felt a lot better about today than I did about last week."
Senior Matt Baysinger also managed to get it done at the Classic, winning the 600-meter run at 1:20.08.
Baysinger tasted success both on and off the track as he was appointed vice chair of the Division I National Student Athlete Advisory Committee earlier this week. In 2009, he will become chair of the NCAA Division I National SAAC for one year.
Other impressive performances included Julius Jiles' first place in the 60-meter hurdles. Jiles provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships with his time of 7.91.
Also victorious were seniors Crystal Manning in the triple jump
and Kate Sultanova in the poe vault. Both posted NCAA qualifying marks.
In addition, sophomore Lauren Bonds won the 1,000-meter run, junior Sha'Ray Butler won the 400-meter dash, junior Ashley Brown won the 60-meter hurdles, senior Paul Hefferon won the mile run and Paul Erb Erb won the high jump.
After impressive showings at both
"The next two meets are going to be huge for us as a team. We've never gone to New York City for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, but it's going to be a scored meet, and there's absolutely no reason why
the Kansas Invitational and Jayhawk Classic, the Jayhawks look ahead to some tough competition at Lincoln, Neb. this weekend and New York City the following weekend.
we can't win that meet," Baysinger said.
Butler commented on the upcoming meets.
"We're running a lot faster than we were last year. Being in bigger atmospheres and having more competition will make us stronger," she said.
Edited by Matt Hirschfeld
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Djokovic claims Grand Slam title
BY JOHN PYE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MELBOURNE, Australia Novak Djokovic started making peace with the crowd as soon as he lifted the trophy.
After beating Jo-Wilfred Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2) Sunday night to win the Australian Open for his first Grand Slam title, Djokovic knew a little public relations was in order.
True, he had kept the Rod Laver Arena crowd in stitches last week with his Maria Sharapova impersonation. But Djokovic also had upset Roger Federer in the semifinals and now had eliminated Tsonga, who was riding a great wave into the title match.
"I know the crowd wanted him to win more," Djokovic said. "That's OK. It's all right. I still love you guys."
— don't worry. I'm very,very happy
that I won my first Grand Slam here"
Djokovic felt as if he had to fight two rivals — the fans and his opponent — in beating Federer and Tsonga. He frequently yelled when things went wrong.
"Sometimes, you just can't control your emotions on the court," he said. "I'm still learning. I'm still young."
The 20-year-old Serbian is the first man other than No. 2 Rafael Nadal to win a Grand Slam title from Federer since Marat Safin won the 2005 Australian Open.
Djokovic said he was under extreme pressure to defeat Tsonga, an unseeded Frenchman who had beaten four players in the top 14, including Nadal in straight sets in the semifinals.
Tsonga's audacious style, resemblance to Muhammad Ali and magnificent run in only his fifth major
"Coming on against a player with nothing to lose — he was going for the shots and he was very dangerous, especially in the first set — I was pretty nervous," he said.
Djokovic admitted he felt the heat. But he regrouped after the first-set barrage and began to climb back. He did not face a break point in the second and third sets. He staved off one crucial break point in the fourth before dominating the tiebreaker.
Tsonga seemed content to rally from the baseline, especially after getting passed several times.
made him a popular contender at Melbourne Park.
Iverson will make his ninth overall All-Star game appearance. The two-time All-Star game MV4 was aided in upsetting Tracy McGrady with a late voting靠 by fans.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
"I was trying to stay with him because I knew sooner or later, with my style of game, I could get in control of the match," Diokovic said.
With Federer only two majors shy of Pete Sampras' record 14 Grand Slam titles, Djokovic had he needed to make the most of any opportunity.
Tsonga was trying to give France its first men's Grand Slam champion since Yannick Noah won at Roland Garros in 1983. Djokovic was certain of the celebrations in his country.
Djokovic and his female compatriots, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, reached the semifinals. Ivanovic lost Saturday's women's final in straight sets to Sharapova.
The tournament set a record for total attendance for an Australian Open (605,735) and a one-day mark for any Grand Slam (62,885 on Day 4). It also set a record for the latest finish, with Australia's Lleyton Hewitt finishing off 2006 runner-up Marcos Baghdatis at 4:33 a.m. on the first Sunday after starting at 11:47 p.m. Saturday.
"I can imagine what is happening on the streets of Belgrade and Serbia," he said. "This is just something amazing for us."
Sharapova won her third Grand Slam title without dropping a set in a run that included wins over former No. 1 Lindsay Davenport and three of the top four players.
"It's not possible that only one tournament is changing the history," he said. "I played amazing tennis here, so I think I absolutely deserved to win, even against (Federer) in the semifinals."
Djokovic plans to spend a couple of weeks savoring the title, then get back to work.
>> NBA
Iverson, fans upset McGrady
BY BRIAN MAHONEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - With a late rally, Allen Iverson is an All-Star starter again.
Iverson surged from behind in the fan voting to earn a starting spot in next month's game when the vote totals were released Thursday night. Denver Nuggets teammate Carmelo Anthony will join him in New Orleans after earning his first starting nod.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant will team with Iverson in the Western Conference backcourt for his 10th All-Star appearance. Houston center Yao Ming was voted in by the fans for the sixth straight season at center, while San Antonio's Tim Duncan was chosen as the other forward. He has been selected to every All-Star game since entering the league in 1997.
Boston's Kevin Garnett, the MVP of the 2003 game, was the leading vote-getter with 2,399,148 votes. He will be joined in the East frontcourt by Cleveland forward LeBron James and Orlando center Dwight Howard, a first-time starter. Miami's Dwyane Wade and New Jersey guard Jason Kidd out the starting lineup.
Iverson rallied to pass Houston's Tracy McGrady in the final weeks of voting to earn his first start since moving to the Western Conference early last season. The two-time All-Star game MVP beat McGrady by 10,410 votes for the second guard spot and will make his ninth appearance on Feb. 17 in New Orleans.
"It's a good feeling. I think it's a tribute to my teammates and coaching staff." Iverson said in a statement. "But most of all I just want to thank the fans for appreciating what I go out and on the court night in and night out. It's a great feeling and an honor, and I'm just looking forward to trying to play the best that I can play for the fans."
Garnett, another perennial
Denver hasn't had two starters on the squad since Alex English and Fat Lever were both named to the team in 1988. For Anthony, it's his second straight All-Star selection.
starter, will experience the game from the other conference for the first time.
The Boston forward will appear in his 11th straight All-Star game, second among active players to Shaquille O'Neal's 14, and ninth start. The longtime Minnesota Timberswolves star is a leading MVP candidate at midseason for the impact he has made on the Celtics, who own the NBA's best record at 33-7 after winning only 24 games last season.
James, the MVP of the 2006 game and the leading vote-getter last season, was second overall with 2,108,831 votes. "It's always exciting because the fans vote you in," James said. "They dream about having all these guys out on the court at the same time. It's their opportunity to get that."
The festivities in New Orleans give Wade, making his third consecutive start, a chance to escape
what's been a miserable season in Miami. The Heat have the worst record in the Eastern Conference, just 1% years after winning the NBA title.
"It'll be the first enjoyment in a while," Wade said. "Being an All-Star, it's amazing to be there with the other great players around the league. Everyone makes you feel special and it totally takes your mind off your season."
Kidd is a nine-time All-Star, but this is the first time he was voted a starter by the fans since coming to New Jersey in 2001.
The coaches from each conference will choose the reserves, who will be announced next Thursday. They have to select two forwards, two guards, a center and two players regardless of position.
Boston's Doc Rivers has already clinched the right to coach the East. The West coach has not been determined.