Mullings, van Klinken Earn Gold at Mt. SAC Relays
WALNUT, Calif. - Arizona State Track and Field concluded the three-day Mt. SAC Relays Saturday. The Sun Devils west-coast swing was highlighted by four sprinters' personal records, wins by Ralford Mullings in the discus Jorinde van Klinken in the shot, and a top-3 finishes by the men's 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.
Ralford Mullings won the discus with a 65.39m/214-6 mark. It was an almost 15 foot victory for the freshman who is about four inches away from leading the western half of the country and sitting second nationally. He's three inches off ASU's program record held by none other than Turner Washington.
Jorinde van Klinken finished second in the elite-level women's discus thanks to a fourth-round 62.91m/206-4 throw. USA's Valarie Allman led the pack at 69.46m/227-10. Van Klinken opened the meet by winning the shot put with an 18.05m/59-2.75 mark, three feet further than Rice's Erna Gunnarsdottir.
ASU's 4x100 relay squad of Jalen Drayden, Justin Robinson, Austin Kratz and Dubem Nwachukwu took third overall (and second amongst collegians) in the 4x100 in 39.79. The USATF Relay Team won the event in 38.72, followed by Oregon's squad (39.08).
The Sun Devils celebrated personal records from Jalen Drayden 100m (10.39), Ma'kayla Dickerson 400H (59.89), Alonna Johnson 400m (53.89), and Justin Robinson 400m (2nd, 45.81). Van Klinken's shot victory came thanks to a 18.05m/59-2.75 throw.
In the hammer, Beatrice Llano and Shelby Moran both advanced to finals on day one, and ended third and fourth in the finals, respectively. Llano recorded a 67.05m/219-11 heave, and Moran went 66.88m/219-5 for a once-inch PR.
Turner Washington closed out the trip by taking sixth in the men's elite-level discus, recording a 62.33m/204-6 mark. He bested athletes from Norway, Sweden and a trio of independent Americans.
ASU heads back home to host the final meet of the season next weekend - The ASU Twilight Invitational. The Sun Devils will celebrate their seniors Friday at 5 p.m..