CLEVELAND, Tenn. --- Mississippi College Track and Field made a strong statement on day one of the 2023 Gulf South Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, with three gold medalists and six podium finishes out of eight total events.
Niklas Klei started the day off with an outdoor lifetime best in the Long Jump, leaping 7.07 meters and placing third overall to earn the bronze medal. Al Ferrill followed suit, making certain on his USTFCCCA South Region Field Athlete of the Year status with his third GSC title in the Men's Hammer Throw, tossing an impressive 53.25 meters. Not only was this mark good enough to win the GSC title, it also now holds as the Mississippi College School Record in the Men's Hammer Throw event, marking 21 total school records broken this outdoor season for the Choctaws.Â
Essence Tornabene added another medal to the Mississippi College throws squad, earning second place in the Women's Hammer Throw with a GSC meet record toss of 52.39 meters.
The Men's 3,000-meter steeplechase proved to be a stunning performance for Jan Lukas Becker and Christian Balcer, who took the GSC by storm by sweeping the top two spots on the podium. Becker ran 9:05.7, while Balcer followed closely at 9:12.2. This marks Becker's fourth GSC performance in his career.
Bre Bell ensured a Choctaw sweep in the Steeplechase event, winning the Women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase in 11:11.7 and claiming her first-ever GSC title.
Several other Mississippi College athletes contributed to the team's overall success with scoring finishes. These outstanding performers include:
The Choctaws will return to action for day two at 12:45 PM E.T., looking to build upon their success and continue their strong showing at the 2023 Gulf South Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
