Jarrion Lawson wins three events and Florida wins NCAA team title

EUGENE – Jarrion Lawson of Arkansas won the 100 and 200 meters and long jump at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, becoming the first athlete to win all three events since Jesse Owens, and Florida won its third men’s team title in five years Friday night.

Lawson, a six-time national champion, won the 100 in in 10.22 seconds, closing to the victory over the final 30 meters. Less than an hour later he claimed the 200 in 20.19. He won the long jump Wednesday, the first day of the meet.

He accounted for 31.5 total points for the Razorbacks, also the most since Owens scored 40 in 1935 and 1936 for Ohio State. It was just the third time Lawson ran all three events at one meet.

Florida, which also won titles in 2012 and 2013, was pushed into the points lead (62) with a second-place finish in the final event, the 1,600r relay. The Gators spoiled hometown Oregon’s attempt at a third-straight team title at Hayward Field. The Ducks (48) finished fourth behind Arkansas (56) and Texas A&M (50).

Women’s athletes had the day off except for the heptathlon, which included Washington State junior Liz Harper.

Harper scored 3,398 points to rank 14th among 24 competitors after four of the seven events.

Harper’s best event was the high jump, in which she placed fourth at 5 feet, 8 3/4 inches. She was 13th in the 100 hurdles (13.74), 14th in the 200 (24.93) and 21st in the shot put 35- 1/2.

Harper will complete the event on Saturday and also compete in the high jump finals.

Washington’s Baylee Mires (Mead High) will compete in the women’s 800 finals.

The women’s team championship will also be decided.

Lawson wasn’t the only record breaker as the athletes navigated periodic showers and the occasional stiff breeze. Texas A&M freshman Donavan Brazier set a collegiate record in the 800. His mark of 1:43.55 broke Kansas star Jim Ryun’s NCAA record set in 1966 and was the second-fastest time in the world this year.

Oregon’s Devon Allen won the 110 hurdles, his second NCAA title in the event

Allen, also a receiver on the Ducks’ football team, made a splash at the NCAA championships two years ago as a freshman. His time of 13.16 seconds set a meet record, besting Olympic gold medalist Aries Merritt’s mark of 13.21 set in 2006 for Tennessee. Allen was the first freshman to win the national title in the event since San Jose State’s Dedy Cooper in 1976.

“Decent race, pretty consistent for the season, so I’m happy,” said Allen, who was sidelined last year – from both the track and football teams – because of a knee injury.

Arman Hall helped the Gators with a victory in the 400, finishing in 44.82.

Akron junior Clayton Murphy, who finished third in the 800 last season, pulled away down the stretch to win the 1,500 in 3:36.38, a personal best and a school record. Washington senior Izaic Yorks was second and Oregon sophomore Sam Prankel, a volunteer at the NCAA championships here two years ago, was third.

“That’s cool, but it’s all about coming back in two weeks and running fast,” Murphy said, referring to the Olympic Trials in July.

Lawson plans to run all three of his events at the trials. A finish in the top three will earn him a trip to the Rio Olympics.

LSU won the 400 relay in 38.42, a Hayward Field record.