Michigan
Rod McCravy Memorial
Plater Kicks Off U-M Road Trip with Come-From-Behind Victory
1/24/2020 7:53:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
Site: Lexington, Ky. (Nutter Field House)
Event: Kentucky Rod McCravy Memorial (Day 1 of 2)
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 25 -- at Rod McCravy Memorial - Day 2 (Lexington, Ky.), 12:30 p.m.; at Boston U. John Thomas Terrier Classic (Boston, Mass.), 3:30 p.m.
• Complete Results (PDF)
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Thrower Manning Plater scored a dramatic come-from-behind victory as the University of Michigan men's track and field team opened up its first road trip of the 2020 indoor season on Friday (Jan. 24) as it competed at the Kentucky Rod McCravy Memorial.
Nearly exiting the weight throw competition after a slow start in the trial rounds, Plater -- ranked No. 2 nationally in the event -- steadily strengthened throughout the second half of the competition and heaved his winning throw of 21.47m (70 feet, 5.25 inches) in the sixth-and-final round.
After last week demonstrating he had the physical strength to compete among the nation's best, this week he showed mental strength to match it.
Sitting in 13th and after watching national No. 3 Kieran McKeag of Minnesota fail to advance to the finals two throws earlier, Plater launched a 20.46m (67-1.5) attempt that vaulted him up to fifth in the overall standings and safely through to the finals for three more throws.
He made the most of each one, beginning with a 20.97m (68-9.75) on his first of three throws in the finals to move up to third.
Plater followed that with a 21.06m (69-1.25) heave on his penultimate attempt to move up into runner-up position. He saved his best for last, which was able to withstand the final throws for four other competitors who were after him in the order.
In qualifying-round action, the 60-meter hurdles trio of true freshman Josh Zeller, Job Mayhue and Sierra Hendrix-Williams all successfully navigated through the preliminaries and onto the Saturday semifinals.
Zeller continued to impress in his second appearance as a Wolverine, clocking 7.96 to nab the sixth-fastest time of the preliminary round. The performance is his third sub-8.00 clocking in as many races. In Michigan history, only seven men have four or more sub-8.00 runs to their names.
Mayhue ran a season's best 8.06 for the ninth-fastest time of the prelims, and Hendrix-Williams posted the 11th-best time of the round in 8.11.
Action at Kentucky will continue Saturday afternoon starting at 12:30 p.m. with additional Michigan competitors racing at the Boston U. John Thomas Terrier Classic beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Michigan Results by Event
Q = Automatic qualifier into next round; q = non-automatic qualifier into next round
400 Meters (at Kentucky)
To be contested Saturday
600 Meters (at Kentucky)
-- Alex Schwedt / DNS
Mile (at Boston U.)
To be contested Saturday
3,000 Meters (at Boston U.)
To be contested Saturday
5,000 Meters (at Boston U.)
To be contested Saturday
60-Meter Hurdles (at Kentucky)
Semifinals and final to be contested Saturday
PRELIMS
6. Josh Zeller / 7.96q
9. Job Mayhue / 8.06q
11. Sierra Hendrix-Williams / 8.11q
-- Roland Amarteifio / DNS
4x400 Relay (at Kentucky)
To be contested Saturday
Weight Throw (at Kentucky)
1. Manning Plater / 21.47m (70-5.25)
Players Mentioned
