Brigetta Barrett celebrates her third NCAA outdoor championship. Photo by Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Olympic silver medalist. Collegiate record holder. Pac-12 Woman of the Year. Three-time NCAA indoor champion.
And, on Saturday, Arizona Wildcats senior Brigetta Barrett capped her brilliant college career with her third consecutive NCAA outdoor championship in the high jump.
Barrett won the event in Eugene, Ore., with a jump of 6 feet, 4.75 inches (1.95 meters) to make her the most accomplished women’s high jumper in college history.
In addition to holding the college mark of 6-6.25 feet (1.99m) — set at the Pac-12 championships in May — Barrett has more high jump titles (six) than anyone in collegiate history. UCLA’s Amy Acuff won five (three indoor and two outdoor).
“To be honest, I’m not that happy,” Barrett said in an Arizona release.
“I just really wanted to jump at least 2.00m today, so I just have to learn how to control my aggressiveness. But, it’s a good place to be right now in the year, as far as jumping what I’m jumping. …
“I definitely feel I was able to put my mark on the collegiate world of high jump. I’m very happy and grateful to God for the things I’ve been able to do and for the love I’ve received over my entire career. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Only two women have won three consecutive NCAA outdoor high jump titles, both from Arizona — Barrett and Tanya Hughes (1991-93).
Barrett, who began the final day of competition at the NCAA championships by singing the national anthem, helped the Arizona women tie for sixth nationally. The UA men finished 10th, almost entirely on the strength of two winning performances from junior Lawi Lalang.
Lawi Lalang wins the 5,000-meter race at the NCAA championships. Photo by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
He won the 10,000-meter race on Thursday in a time of 29 minutes, 29.65 seconds and became the only multiple winner at the NCAA championships by taking the 5,000-meter race in 13:35:19 on Saturday.
Those titles produced 20 team points. The Arizona men scored 20.5. Lalang would have finished tied for 10th in the team standings all by himself.
He led from the start of Saturday’s race.
“It wasn’t that easy,” Lalang told reporters after the race.
“It was kind of hard and I had to push it from the start. I’m not surprised nobody made a move because I knew it was not an easy pace, and that’s why I wanted to push it like that.”
Lalang has seven NCAA titles, including one in cross country. He won the mile and the 3K race in the 2013 indoor season. Nobody had ever pulled off that indoor double, combined with the outdoor double in the 5K and 10K.
“I am for sure relieved,” he said of winning the outdoor titles.
“It really feels good right now because it was something I really wanted and I was really trying for it and I got it. This year, I knew I was healthy, I trained really well so I knew it was going to end well.”
On Friday, Arizona senior Georganne Moline ran the No. 3 time in the world this year in the 400-meter hurdles, setting a personal-best at 53.72 seconds. That was good for second place, as Stanford’s Kori Carter finished in 53.21.
Junior Julie Labonte, who was second in the discus earlier this week, finished fifth in the shot put Saturday. She earned first-team All-America honors in both events, becoming the first Wildcat to do so since Carla Garrett in 1989.
EVERYTHING IN GOD’s TIME!!! Grateful to finish out as a champion thanks to all for the support!!!!
— Brigetta Barrett (@bebe3114) June 9, 2013