Smith puts on show in 400 meters

Miles Smith doesn't get a chance to compete at home very often, so he wanted to do something special.

Running the fastest outdoor 400 meter time in the world so far this year no doubt qualifies.

Smith, Southeast Missouri State's sensational junior, clocked 45.98 seconds Saturday to highlight the 25th annual Gatorade Classic at the Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex.

"That was my goal going in," Smith said. "It was cool to do it at home, but I like running anywhere."

The outdoor season is barely under way, and USC's Lionel Larry entered the weekend with the world's fastest time so far, 46.07 seconds.

As picture-perfect as the weather was in Cape Girardeau Saturday, it was also no doubt nice in plenty of other places, which may very well have led to other times that topped Smith's.

But, even if that turns out to be the case, Smith's performance was quite impressive. He won last year's Gatorade Classic 400 meters in 46.67 seconds.

And it's not like Smith was pushed. Saturday's second-place finisher clocked 48.04 seconds.

"For this year and to run by himself ... he put on a show," said Southeast coach Joey Haines, whose program was competing in its first full-squad outdoor meet of the season.

Added Smith, running in his first outdoor meet of the season: "It's super fast for this early in the year."

Smith won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. 1,600-meter relay team at last summer's world championships. He is already a two-time NCAA Division I All-American.

Smith's career-best 400 time is a school-record 45.16 seconds, which he attained in finishing fifth at last year's NCAA outdoor championships and placed him among the world's top 20 fastest runners.

As special as last year was for Smith, given the time he posted Saturday, 2006 might turn out to be even better -- if that's possible.

"Yeah, that's what I'm thinking," Smith said, smiling.

Added Haines: "We think the best is still to come for Miles. He keeps getting better and better."

Smith was also part of Southeast's 400 meter and 1,600 meter relay teams that finished first Saturday, in times of 41.22 and 3:11.40, respectively.

Competing with Smith on the 400 squad were Chris Williams, George Medley and Chris Poindexter. The 1,600 group was the same, except for Alonzo Nelson in place of Medley.

Indiana State came away with all three team titles, winning the men's and women's divisions along with the combined championship, which was based on total points for both divisions.

Indiana State's men had 295 points, followed by Southeast (167), Tennessee State (68), Murray State (15) and Lipscomb (11).

The Sycamores' women had 204 points, followed by Southeast (187), Austin Peay (80), Murray State (54) and Lipscomb (32).

"Indiana State has a good program, but nobody entered this meet worrying about the score," Haines said. "This early in the year, it doesn't really matter. We get judged on one meet a year, and that's the OVC.

"Overall, I thought we had some good performances."

Nelson, a senior, had an impressive meet. In addition to running on the victorious 1,600 relay, he captured the 400 hurdles in a meet-record 51.44 seconds. That fell a bit short of his school-record 50.77 seconds set last year.

"I was just trying to run fast, but it's nice to have the record," Nelson said.

Said Haines: "Alonzo really had a great day. Sometimes he gets overshadowed."

Southeast's men also picked up a win from Sikeston's Andrew Lambert in the high jump, as he cleared 6 feet 6 inches.

On the women's side, Southeast's Heather Jenkins won both the shot put (46-11) and discus (160-2), after the Cape Girardeau native had finished second in Friday's hammer throw.

"Heather had a great day," Haines said.

Also for the Redhawks' women, Lindsay Zeiler won the 1,500 (4:38.40), after Jackson's Heather West had captured Friday's triple jump.

Southeast results

MEN

5,000 -- 6. Gabe Lutes, 15:30.55.

400 relay -- 1. Chris Williams, Miles Smith, George Medley, Chris Poindexter, 41.22.

1,500 -- 2. Kevin McNab, 3:55.55; 6. Danny Stults, 4:05.36; 7. Mark McNamara, 4:06.30.

400 -- 1. Smith, 45.98; 5. Walter Washington, 49.31.

100 -- 4. Chris Williams, 10.93; 8. Seth Schuster, 11.18.

800 -- 8. McNab, 1:57.56.

400 hurdles -- 1. Alonzo Nelson, 51.44.

3,000 steeplechase -- 4. Chris Herren, 9:43.49; 5. Brad DeMattei, 9:48.49.

1,600 relay -- 1. Williams, Smith, Nelson, Poindexter, 3:11.40.

High jump -- 1. Andrew Lambert, 6-6; 2. Ryan Doty, 6-4; 7. Jon Berry, 6-0.

Shot put -- 4. Bill Nekula, 48-4; 6. Andy Glass, 47-6 1/2.

Discus -- 7. Nekula, 143-7.

Long jump -- 2. Berry, 23-3 1/2; 4. Lambert, 23-1 3/4; 7. Anthony Harris, 22-2 1/4.

Pole vault -- 4. Jordan Willi, 14-5 1/2; 5. Matt Jett, 12-11 3/4.

Triple jump -- 2. Bilal Hameed, 46-7 1/2.

Javelin -- 3. Jason Theodorakos, 178-11.

WOMEN

5,000 -- 3. Kris Woolf, 18:31.10; 5. Brittni Peck, 18:52.16.

400 relay -- 2. Precious Eliot, Natasha Fortenberry, Nyisha Porter, Whitney Thomas, 47.72.

1,500 -- Lindsay Zeiler, 4:38.40; 5. Juli Koenegstein, 4:54.61; 7. Jen Caywood, 5:08.35.

100 hurdles -- 2. Thomas, 14.73; 3. Orie Ibie, 14.89; 6. Kyra Joiner, 15.45.

400 -- 5. Natasha Fortenberry, 58.58.

100 -- 2. Elliot, 12.67.

800 -- 7. Taryn Phillips, 2:20.91.

400 hurdles -- 7. Elizabeth Prewitt-Allen, 1:09.55.

200 -- 5. Porter, 26.14; 6. Elliot, 26.45.

1,600 relay -- 3. Porter, Fortenberry, Phillips, Joyner, 3:59.10.

Discus -- 1. Heather Jenkins, 160-2; 4. Nichole Portell, 125-11.

Long jump -- 7. Funtasia Clark, 16-2 1/4.

High jump -- 2. Lainie Bohnsack, 5-6; 4. Clark, 5-2.

Shot put -- 1. Jenkins, 46-8 3/4; 6. Portell, 40-4 1/4.

Pole vault -- 3. Michele Jett, 10-6; 4. Amy West, 9-11 3/4; 5. Megan Rosenkoetter, 9-11 3/4.

Javelin -- 2. Rebecca Martin, 128-2; 3. Lindsay Hearne, 123-9.