Best of sports for spring 2000

LBSU team run away at meet

The Long Beach State track and field team had a great time at the Big West Challenge at Santa Barbara over the weekend winning both the men and women's competitions.

The 49er men's team scored 204 points and the women's team scored 209 points, beating out Big West schools Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara.

In the last eight years, the LBSU men's team has won seven times while the women's team won its fourth.

"The throwers put us in the meet, the jumpers kept us in the meet and the sprinters and distance runners put us ahead," said LBSU track and field Head Coach Andy Sythe.

Thrower Kathy Andrews highlighted the LBSU women's field events by coming in first in the hammer throw with her lifetime best mark of 154-5. Fellow thrower Kathy Truran placed first in the shot put, 38-7 3/4.

Sprinter Marion Reneau earned 35.5 points for the women's team, even though she is suffering from a hamstring strain sustained last month.

"Marion was fantastic," Sythe said.

Reneau placed first in the javelin (133-6), long jump (18-8 1/2) and 100-meter hurdles (14.08).

Pole vaulter Christine Lee broke the meet record with a lifetime best of 12-0.

The men's team had its number of winners as well.

"The men's team was predicted to get third today based on past performances,"Sythe said. "We overcame a lot today and really shined."

Thrower Jon O'Neil broke three meet records while going on to score 27 points for LBSU and completing a throwing sweep.

O'Neil discus throw broke his own 1998 meet record by 10 feet in the discus throw (179-9). His the hammer throw, 171-1, shattered the meet record by 12 feet and his shot put throw of 54-8 1/4 beat the old record by 4 feet.

Hurdler Jimmy Camilo came from behind in the last 10 meters of the 110 hurdles to win with a time of 14.47.

Sprinter Tyrone Pearson placed first in the 400 with his time of 47.34, breaking the 1999 meet record of 47.47.

The men's 4 x 400 relay team of Brian Carson, Jason Dolison, Tyrone Pearson and Richard Christensen, came in first with their seasonal best and conference best time of 3:11.06.

This story originally ran in its entirety April 4.