SEC teams in chase for national indoor track title

Posted 7:33AM on Sunday 10th March 2002 ( 23 years ago )

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - Tennessee sprinter Justin Gatlin caught teammate Leonard Scott in the final steps as the Vols closed in Saturday night on their first NCAA Indoor title. Gatlin and Scott finished one-two a few minutes after LSU picked up 23 points with a one-two-three finish in the 400 meters. Scott got out of the blocks fast, but the smooth-striding Gatlin caught him just as he did two weeks ago in the Southeastern Conference meet. Gatlin was time in 6.59 and Scott in 6.61. The 18 points gave the Vols a total of 52 points. At that point, Alabama was second with 34, followed by LSU with 31 and Arkansas with 30. In the first heat of the 400 meters, Lueroy Colquohoun went out fast and held on in 46.35. in the second heat, Alleyne Francique struggled through the final yards but finished a step ahead of teammate Pete Coley in 45.58. Steps after the finish, Francique put his arm around Coley. Christian Goy of Illinois State kicked past David Kimani on the last lap and then held off the Alabama star to capture the mile run. Seconds after the finish, Goy kissed the track and tossed some wrapped roses to the crowd, then jogged the wrong way down the front straightaway. After an about-face, he went the other way, often clapping his hands above his head. Many in the crowd stood and applauded as he went by. Despite a slow opening half-mile, Goy finished in 4:00.06. Kimani was timed in 4:00.33 and his second-place finish kept Alabama in contention for the national title. With less than two laps to go, Kimani ran by pacesetting Eliud Njubi of TCU, who quickly faded. With a lap to go, the race was down to Kimani and Goy, who edged in front before the final turn and immediately opened a clear lead. Kimani closed some ground in the final yards but Goy crossed the finish line and immediately raised both hands. Kimani said his 1600 leg of 3:55 in Alabama's third-place showing Friday night in the distance medley relay took something out of him, but he added, ``I do everything for my team.'' He also said the slow pace in the mile gave several runners an opportunity for a strong finish. Moments later, Marc Sylvester of Tennessee moved determinedly through the final lap and finished second in the 800 meters to South Carolina's Otukile Lekote, who ran the distance in 1:46.88. Only third in the Southeastern Conference meet, Sylvester's surprising finish was worth eight points and gave Tennessee 28 points. At that point, Alabama was leading with 34, and Arkansas was second with 30. Sylvester dropped back to fifth at one point as Lekote discouraged many with his blistering pace. Sylvester moved to fourth on the final lap and went by Arkansas' Said Ahmed coming out of the final turn. ``I was expecting at least six points,'' Sylvester said. ``Second was a plus.'' Heather Sagan of Liberty ran down Lena Nilsson of UCLA and Shalane Flanagan in the final lap to win the women's mile in 4:38.52. Flanagan and Nilsson ran one-two through most of the race but Nilsson took the lead just before the start of the final lap. Flanagan made a run at her in the far turn and couldn't get by, but Sagan passed them both on the final straight. In the 800 meters, Marian Burnett of LSU held off Kristina Bratton to win in 2:05.33. Burnett's victory gave LSU a meet-leading 45 points. UCLA was second with 39 and Florida was third with 35.

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