By Ron Smith
May 26, 2021
 
(GULF SHORE, Ala.) Westmont senior Sydney Marr earned her fourth All-American title by finishing sixth in the women's hammer throw at the 2021 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Marr threw the hammer 52.99 meters (173-10) on her third throw of the event.
 
"It was really fun," said Marr of the competition. "I knew I needed to be as consistent as possible today. It doesn't help to think every throw is going to be a P.R. and get the anxiousness too high. I walked into every throw trying my best and doing what I have been doing all season.
 
"I felt pretty good. I felt consistent and the technique was right there. I needed a little more speed and added too much in the finals. I think the nerves came over me a little bit and I pulled it right out of the sector, but not a bad day overall."
 
This is Marr's second All-American honor in the hammer throw. She collected her first in 2019 and was poised to do so again in 2020 before the championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She wasn't sure she would get another chance to compete.
 
"I am really glad that we got to have this season," expressed Marr. "I am so happy that I even got to this time to compete. I thought I wasn't coming back to school or back to Westmont and here we are at a national championship. It is a great day to be out here and be grateful for what I have been given."
 
Marr is also a two-time All-American in the 25-pound weight throw, which is competed at the Indoor National Championships.
 
"It has been a tough year for Sydney who has trained very hard," said Westmont head coach Russell Smelley. "She didn't have a breakthrough, but she did what she needed to do. She was consistent in the first three rounds, which got her All-American. She tried to stretch it and push harder for the last three, but it didn't quite come together in the same way. However, four-time All-American is outstanding."
 
Zola Sokhela and Adam King competed in the preliminaries of the men's 1500 meters and both advanced to Friday's final. Running in the first heat, King posted a time of 3:59.85 to finish third. Sokhela, who holds the fastest time in the NAIA this season at 3:44.62, won the second heat in a time of 3:55.33.
 
"It should have been a final because there was a scratch which made it 15 entries," reported Smelley. "They didn't catch it before the preliminaries, which is an unfortunate thing because we could have saved that race on their legs.
 
"Adam strategically ran better than he has been and made the right move. Zola just controlled it. Everyone just wanted to stay arms-length away from him. No one challenged him. I think he led that whole heat into the finals. He did a modest, comfortable pace for him and they tagged along and got to the finals. He is a nice guy and was very helpful to his opponents in that heat."
 
Madden Hundley posted a time of 4:51.28 in the women's 1500 meter preliminaries but did not advance to the finals. Hundley earned All-American honors at the Indoor National Championships in early March and did so again in April at the National Cross Country Championships.
 
"Competing in her third nationals since the first weekend in March is a stupendous effort," offered Smelley. "I am really proud of her for how she persevered and showed the resilience to keep getting better."
 
"It meant so much to me, considering the circumstances," noted Hundley. "I was ranked 30th in the 1500 meters. For me to come in last place only means that I can get better. It was such a gift to be here and be able to compete at a third nationals this year. I am very grateful for my coaches letting me come and taking a chance on me."
 
The compacted schedule, a result of the pandemic, presented a significant challenge to the distance runner.
 
"I keep telling people it actually made it easier and more fun because it made it a challenge," explained Hundley. "It was something I had to put my mind to every day and choose to do, instead of it being a normal season. It made it interesting and the challenge made me want do it more."
 
"Madden had the misfortune of having someone clip her heal on the backstretch when it was time to move," said Smelley. She stumbled and had four dead-leg steps that killed her momentum. She did a fine last lap, but couldn't generate what she needed to get to the finals."
 
The men's 4 x 800 relay team closed out day one for the Warriors, running just after sunset in the first heat of two preliminary races. The Warriors claimed second place in a close race to clinch a spot in tomorrow's finals. Adam King, John Baker, Jason Peterson and Zola Sokhela recorded a historic time of 7:32.47.
 
"That is the second best performance in history to the 1987 team and very close to the record," enthused Smelley. "They beat a historic team from 1969. So, it was one of the finest races ever and all four guys ran their best race of the season."
 
"Adam King had a wonderful 1500 meters (earlier in the day) where he made it to finals and looked outstanding," noted Jason Peterson who ran the third leg. "Coming into this race, he was feeling it, but felt like he could perform for the team and he did. He gave it off to John Baker who was a little farther in the back of the pack. All season, he has been performing well. He came to this meet ready to perform and that is what he did today.
 
"I got the baton and John left me in a great spot to continue to pursue the pack. That is what I did and I was able to give it to Senzo (Zola Sokhela). Senzo sure did something today. I think he ran a 1:48 and looked outstanding during it.
 
"With 150 meters to go, I saw him look down for a couple of seconds at the back of the pack. Then he looked up and just went. I think he finished second and we all swarmed him on the track. It was an amazing time to run with some friends and compete together today. It is such a privilege to be a part of an institution that lets us have experiences where we do hard things and learn a lot about life in the mix."
 
The 4 x 800 team will compete in the finals tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. CDT. In addition, Sokhela will compete in the 800 meter prelims tomorrow at 3:50 p.m. local time.