After a strong performance during last week’s Florida Relays, the Illini head back to Champaign to host their first outdoor meet of the season. The Illini Deca-Jam will run from Thursday to Saturday at Demirjian Park, with names like Wisconsin, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State and UIC all set to compete.
Illinois had nearly everything but a first-place finish last week, seeing seven athletes set top-10 program marks Friday. Of the headlining performances, freshman Romi Tamir was most outstanding, earning a silver medal on the school’s sixth-best jump (6.34 meters), all in her outdoor debut. Tamir looks to continue her success and bolster an already strong resume she built during only her first indoor season.
Junior Brenden Vanderpool had a strong outing for the Illini, finishing fourth in the pole vault with a clearance of 5.30 meters, seventh best in program history. Vanderpool, a transfer from Samford, has been a fantastic find for Illinois, as he has now set top-10 school marks in both indoor and outdoor pole vaults. Vanderpool looks to build off of his performance this week.
Illinois is once again going to have to bring its A-game, as Big Ten neighbor Wisconsin comes to town.
The Badgers competed in a meet of their own last week in the UC Davis Triton Invitational in La Jolla, California.
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Redshirt senior Danni Langseth finished second in the women’s shot put elite section, with a throw of 15.69 meters. Junior Kyle Clabough placed sixth in the shot put elite for the men, with a throw of 17.55 meters.
With several Badgers competing in this meet, the Illini get a chance to preview some of their possible competition for the Big Ten Outdoor Championships just over a month from now in Lincoln, Nebraska.
As this will be their first home outdoor meet of the season, there’s an added element not yet seen by the team this year: weather.
Mother nature looks mostly in the athletes’ favor this weekend, staying in the 60s and 70s for most of the meet. Friday is the one holdup, however, as a chance of rain could make conditions slick and force athletes to remain focused.
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