Rombough has record setting day at Classic

Junior distance runner Chris Rombough set a new school record in the 3,000-meter run to highlight the University of Minnesota track and field teams’ successful weekend at the Jack Johnson Classic.
Rombough, one of seven Gophers to win an individual title this weekend, posted a time of 8:00.66 — an NCAA provisional qualifying time that edged Minnesota sophomore Hassan Mead for Saturday’s individual title.
Rombough said he was pleased by his performance this weekend considering how young the season is.
“It’s really encouraging,” he said. “I may have the fastest time in the country right now in the 3,000-meters.”
Pushing each other in the Gophers long-distance races is nothing new for Mead and Rombough.
The duo has competed with each other since Mead arrived on campus two years ago and consistently headlined a Gophers cross country team that finished 15th at the NCAA Cross Country championships last fall.
Meanwhile, junior R.J. McGinnis paced a 1-2-3 finish for Minnesota in the heptathlon with a 5,511 point total. Sophomores Brock Spandl and Joey Schwecke finished second and third, respectively.
Senior Ibrahim Kabia, who came into the weekend with the nation’s second-fastest time in the 60-meter dash, was unable to improve his time but still won the event with a time of 6.73 seconds.
Other Gophers to earn individual titles were junior Logan Stroman in the 600-meter dash, pole-vaulter junior Joe Plencner , redshirt freshman Tom McNamara in the long jump and junior Raymond Blackledge in the triple jump.

Women have equal success

Senior Heather Dorniden paced a 1-2-3 finish for the Gophers in the 800 meters, where the Rosemount alum has earned six All-American honors.
Dorniden recorded a time of 2:05.51 for the individual title — edging teammates Jamie Cheever and Julie Schwengler , who finished second and third, respectively.
“That’s [Dorniden’s] event. She’s won a national championship in it,” Gophers coach Matt Bingle said. “Going into the weekend, [her time] might have been the No. 1 time in the country.”
“If not No. 1, it’s top three or four.”
Junior Alicia Rue didn’t improve her nation-leading height in the pole vault but did still take top honors, as did sophomore Natalie Devine in the high jump.
Senior Kari Schmidt took home the individual title in the shot put, senior Christin Kingsley won the long jump, freshman Adrienne Thomas took home top honors in the 400-meter dash and sophomore Kelly Wilson won the 5,000-meter run.
The Gophers 4x400 relay team of Dorniden, junior Chioma Omeoga, freshman Kylie Peterson and freshman Nyoka Giles also took first place.
“We have a lot of work to do. The next two weeks are important for us,” Bingle said. “Yeah we had some great performances, but everybody has something to work on.”