Murfin Breaks 34-year Old Shot Put Record at Grinnell Invite
Feb 6, 2016
FULL RESULTS
GRINNELL, Iowa – Freshman Blaze Murfin launched a 51’9” shot put toss to win the Grinnell Invite and broke the old Spartan record by one inch set in 1982 as the University of Dubuque men’s track and field team placed fourth.
The Spartans didn’t compete with their full squad, but still compiled 54 points to finish fourth in the 17-team field that included a mix of Division I, NAIA, junior college, and Division III schools. Simpson College took home the team title with 95 points on Saturday afternoon.
Murfin’s shot put throw (15.77m/51-9) set a personal record by over two feet in only the fifth meet of his career. The freshman placed second overall by two inches and ranks 19th in the country and first in the Iowa Conference. It’s a youth movement at the top as three of the top-4 shot put marks in the Iowa Conference this season are held by freshman.
Murfin also set a personal best in the weight throw after placing fifth (16.37m/53-8.5).
Another stellar newcomer, freshman Charles Jackson III, won the triple jump with a leap of 13.80m/45-3.5 and placed second in the long jump with a personal best of 6.58m/21-7.25. Jackson III now ranks Top-6 in the Iowa Conference in both events.
UD’s third winner was the 4x200m relay team of Colby Rattenborg, Isaiah Ellis, Najee Toomer, and Marcus Weathers, Jr.
Junior Nicholas Kazmierczak placed second in the pole vault (4.25m/13-11.25) while weight thrower Mario-John Otchere placed fourth in the weight throw (16.74m/54-11.25).
The Spartans travel to the UW-Platteville Invitational this Saturday, February 13 at 11:00 a.m.
