To conclude the 2021 SEC Indoor Championships, the Ole Miss Rebels finished with the men’s team in fourth place with 70.5 total points while the women finished in seventh place with 50 total points this weekend. The Rebels finished with 12 medalists overall this year, and the men’s team totaled four SEC titles.
“I’m just really proud of the way our men and women competed over the last three days,” Ole Miss head coach Connie Price-Smith said in a statement from Ole Miss Athletics. “The SEC is one of the toughest meets out there, and the Rebels represented themselves well. We had a lot of standout performances and a few spots that still need a little work. But, I am mostly proud of the heart and guts that most of them showed this weekend. Now it’s time to go back to work and get ready for nationals.”
On the final day of the competition, the Rebel men went away with two SEC titles as senior Waleed Suliman came in first place during the mile race with a time of 3:58:28. The All-American had his fourth career sub-four mile and shattered the 45-year-old meet’s record dating back to 1976. Meanwhile, Everett Smulders took the bronze medal with a mile time of 4:00.29.
Reigning SEC Cross Country Champion, Mario Garcia Romo led the way in the men’s 3K, taking home his first career SEC individual title with a time of 8:03.99. Following behind him was freshman, Cole Bullock as he finished the 3K in fourth place. Bullock also won the men’s 5K race on Feb. 26 with a time of 13:59.10.
In the men’s 800-meter race, senior John Rivera Jr. claimed his first career SEC individual medal with a time of 1:50.18.
Day two medalists included Bullock and men’s high jumper Allen Gordon, who tied for the bronze medal with a score of 2.08 meters (6-09.75).
During day one, the women’s weight throw and men’s distance medley repeated as champions. Sophomore Jasmine Mitchell led for the weight throwers as she grasped her first career SEC win with 23.24m (76-03.00). Shey Taiwo got the silver medal. The women have won in the weight category for the fourth time in the last five years.
Distance medley runners finished with a time of 9:29.35, breaking the meet’s overall record set by Ole Miss in 2017 (9:32.36). Included in the medley are Suliman, Garcia Romo, Smulders and freshman Marcus Dropik.
Qualifying contenders for the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships on March 11-13 will be announced soon. The contenders for the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships will also be announced for its competition on March 15.
