Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Dahlgren wins NCAA hammer title

By on June 7, 2007

Senior Jennifer Dahlgren captured her second straight national championship in the hammer throw during the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Friday in Sacramento, Calif.

Dahlgren clinched the title after Southern Illinois junior Brittany Riley failed to top Dahlgren’s opening throw of 228 feet, 2 inches. After Riley’s throw failed to reach the mark, Dahlgren, a Buenos Aires, Argentina, native, unleashed an NCAA meet record throw of 232 to highlight her final collegiate meet.

The previous meet record was 228-11, set by Florida’s Candice Scott in 2004.

“I was shaking during all of my throws today and telling myself, ‘Don’t be a wimp.’ This has been such an up and down year with some minor injuries so it is satisfying to end on a high note,” said Dahlgren.

“The crowd, especially our crew from Georgia, was great today and I am really, really thrilled to win an NCAA title and break the meet record during my last collegiate meet.”

Dahlgren completes her career at Georgia as an eight-time All-American and with three NCAA individual titles. In addition to her pair of collegiate hammer throw championships, Dahlgren, a four-time SEC champion, won the 2006 NCAA indoor title in the weight throw.

Dahlgren’s personal-best mark in the hammer throw (239-4), which was registered at this season’s Spec Towns Invitational in Athens, is a school, collegiate and South American record.

- Georgia Sports Communications