MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Freshman Elisabet Runarsdottir won the Sun Belt women's hammer throw championship while Grady Leonard, Deborah Bulai and Simon Thor had podium finishes as Texas State track and field competed in day one of the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium.
 
Runarsdottir's throw of 65.53 meters/215-0 in the hammer throw was not only championship-worthy but it was also an Iceland record, school freshman record, and 10th-best overall throw in program history. It was the second-farthest by a Bobcat in the women's hammer throw at the conference championships as well.
 
Runarsdottir, originally from Ko'pavogur, Iceland, became the fifth different Bobcat to win a conference title in the women's hammer throw and helped give Texas State back-to-back individual titles in the event after Alyssa Wilson won in 2022.
 
Leonard scored points for the men's team with a runner-up finish in the men's hammer throw. The Coeur d'Alene, Idaho product threw 64.25 meters/210-9 in his sixth and final attempt to take the silver medal behind Arkansas State's Aimar Palma Simo, who had a toss of 68.37 meters/224-3. Leonard's throw was seventh-best in school history as he owns seven of the top-eight marks in the event in program history.
 
Thor added to the men's points with a third-place finish in the javelin. The Lugnetgymnasiet, Sweden native had a 64.05 meter/210-1 toss, which was less than two feet off his personal-best and seventh-best in school history.
 
"We came out on the first day and did a great job putting Texas State on the right path for both men's and women's teams," said Texas State Director of Track and Field/Cross Country John Frazier. "We gained unexpected points in the women's javelin and getting a scoring opportunity for the men's 1500 final on Saturday is huge. The next two days are big scoring opportunities for us as well"

With the help of Leonard and Thor, the Texas State men's team finished the first day with 14 points and currently sit in fourth place.
 
The women's team is fourth with 20 points. Bulai (third-place) and Lauryn Small (seventh-place) both scored points in the women's hammer throw while Luize Opola added a pair of points with a seventh-place finish in the javelin.
 
Seven Bobcats advanced out of Thursday's prelims to the finals on Saturday: Franco Melhado (men's 1500), Daniel Harrold (men's 400 hurdles), Cedric Williams (men's 400 hurdles), Sedrickia Wynn (women's 200), Taahir Kelly (men's 200), Dominick Yancy (men's 200), and Ashton Callahan (men's 200).
 
In the men's decathlon, Thor finished the day and through the first five events with 3,397 points, which places him seventh in the overall standings. His best point total came out of the high jump (767 points) while he also finished second in the shot put with a toss of 13.69 meters/44-11 for 709 points.
 
Opola finished the first day of the women's heptathlon in ninth place with 2,885 points.  
 
Day two of the conference meet will get started at 10 am CT/11 am ET with the decathlon. Running events are set for a 4 pm CT/5 pm ET start.
 
 
2023 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships
Day 1 – May 11, 2023
 
Decathlon
Simon Thor
After 5 events, he is 7th with 3,397 points. The leader – Colby Eddowes of Arkansas State – has 4,020 points.
 
100 Meters
11. 11.97w (+3.6); 657 points
 
Long Jump
5. 6.49m/21-3.5; 695 points
 
Shot Put
2. 13.69m/44-11; 709 points
 
High Jump
3. 1.96m/6-5; 767 points
 
400 Meters
11. 55.74; 569 points
 
Heptathlon
Luize Opola
After 4 events, she is 9th with 2,885 points. The leader – Camryn Newton-Smith of Arkansas State – has 3,549 points.
 
100 Meter Hurdles
13. 15.14w (+2.1); 823 points
 
High Jump
12. 1.54m/5-0.5; 666 points
 
Shot Put
4. 11.77m/38-7.5; 646 points
 
200 Meters
13. 26.55; 750 points
 
Women's Hammer
1. Elisabet Runarsdottir – 65.53m/215-0; PR and 10th-best in school history
3. Deborah Bulai – 59.68m/195-9
7. Lauryn Small – 54.11m/177-6
 
Men's Hammer
2. Grady Leonard – 64.25m/210-9; 7th-best in school history
 
Women's Javelin
7. Luize Opola – 39.95m/131-1
 
Men's Javelin
3. Simon Thor – 64.05m/210-1; 7th-farthest in school history
 
Women's Pole Vault
14. Breanna Brandes – 3.51m/11-6.25
 
Women's 1500 Meters - Prelims
20. Abigail Parra – 4:57.48
24. Breanna Clark – 5:05.41
27. Price Janecek – 5:19.93
 
Men's 1500 Meters - Prelims
10. Franco Melhado – 4:01.28; qualified for the finals
19. Santos Flores – 4:24.02
 
Women's 400 Meter Hurdles - Prelims
13. Daneille Lynch – 1:05.32
 
Men's 400 Meter Hurdles - Prelims
3. Daniel Harrold – 52.91; PR and qualified for the finals
7. Cedric Williams – 53.40; PR and qualified for the finals
 
Women's 200 Meters - Prelims
1. Sedrickia Wynn – 23.35; qualified for the finals
10. Sadi Giles – 24.34
19. Jordan Perry – 24.68
22. Cara Johnson – 24.86
40. Victoria Wright – 26.82
 
Men's 200 Meters - Prelims
1. Taahir Kelly – 20.87; qualified for the finals
3. Dominick Yancy – 21.07; qualified for the finals
4. Ashton Callahan – 21.08; qualified for the finals
15. Brian West – 21.67
 
Men's 10,000 Meters
11. Koket Jimata – 32:14.38