Three Razorback victories highlight second day of SEC meet
GAINESVILLE – Three victories highlighted the second day of the SEC Championships for Arkansas as wins were achieved by Jack Turner (decathlon), Romaine Beckford (high jump) and Wayne Pinnock (long jump).
Team scoring through eight of 21 finals has the Razorbacks leading with 55 points over Ole Miss (40), Alabama (39), Texas A&M (38), and Florida (28).
Turner and teammate Yariel Soto Torrado finished 1-2 in the decathlon for 18 team points. It was the first victory by a Razorback since Kevin Lazas in 2012 when Arkansas finished 1-2-3 in the event.
The 1-2 finish for the Razorbacks was the first since 2014 when Georgia accomplished the feat.
Pinnock became just the fourth jumper in SEC Outdoor history to win three consecutive long jump titles and happens to be the third Razorback to achieve the endeavor.
A leap of 26-6.5 (8.09) in the fifth round secured the third victory as he joined Arkansas jumpers Erick Walder (1992-94) and Alain Bailey (2008-10). The first jumper to do it was Billy Brown of LSU from 1939 to 1941.
Pinnock led the field from round one with an opening mark of 25-10.25 (7.88) into a -1.2 wind. Georgia’s Micah Larry finished as runner-up with a 25-7.25 (7.80) in the last round to moved ahead of Florida’s Caleb Foster, who had the same distance, but a lesser secondary mark.
Beckford’s winning height of 7-3.25 (2.22) completed his sweep of SEC high jump titles this season and matched the sweep last done by LSU’s JuVaughn Harrison in 2021. Beckford had three attempts at 7-5 (2.26), with his last jump coming the closets to clearing.
Teammate Kason O’Riley finished in a three-way tie for fifth at 6-10.25 (2.09) to pick up three team points.
Turner’s winning tally of 7,935 points moves him to No. 4 on the UA all-time list, and is just shy of his career best total of 8,011 points from 2023. Soto Torrado followed with 7,803 points as runner-up, falling shy of his career best of 7,917 points set in 2023.
The second day of the decathlon started with a 14.51 in the 110m hurdles by Turner for 901 points as the runner-up. Then Turner led the discus with a mark of 144-1 (43.93) for 745 points.
Soto Torrado led the pole vault with a 15-9 (4.80) clearance, picking up 849 points, while Turner made 15-1 (4.60) to collect 790 points. A javelin toss of 166-6 (50.76) earned Turner 600 points to bring his total to 7,314 heading into the final event.
A cramp during the 1,500m slowed Turner as he finished in 4:49.53 for 621 points. He held off a challenge from Soto Torrado, who ran 4:30.40 for 742 points to close within 132 points of Turner.
Jack Williams just missed scoring in the 3,000m steeplechase as his time of 9:10.50 placed 10th.
Qualifying had three athletes reaching the final in a pair of events for scoring opportunities on Saturday.
In the 110m hurdles, Elijah Morris and William Spencer, Jr. advanced. Morris produced a career best 13.66, moving to No. 6 on the UA all-time list, with Spencer clocking 13.81.
James Benson II posted a time of 45.26 that ranked seventh overall in the 400m while teammates Steven McElroy (45.74) and TJ Tomlyanovich (45.76) were 13th and 14th overall.
Lance Lang made his second final with a 10.16 in the 100m to rank sixth overall as he moves to No. 5 on the UA all-time list. Also racing in the 100m were Tevijon Williams (10.49) and Connor Washington (10.64).