FEBRUARY 26—Portland State University Vikings Sr. Karene King closed her Collegiate career with her fourth successive Big Sky Conference title, after she stormed to victory in the 200m on Saturday in Flagstaff Arizona, with a mark that shattered the championships and all time conference record as well as the territory’s National Indoor Record.
Kings' heroics, helped the Vikings to third place in the Big Sky Conference with 90 points—the most since 2007 when they also placed third with 99.5.
King, who tied her 200m personal best and school record of 24.02 seconds in the prelims—a time .01 better than the 12 year old championships mark established by Idaho State’s Selena Frazier in 2002—blew away the field in the final where she stopped the clock at 23.77 to eclipse Eastern Washington’s Joyce Rainwater’s 17-year old all time conference mark of 23.82 dating back to 1995.
King, who became the territory’s first female athlete to break 24.00 seconds indoors, not only defended her title, but picked up her fourth successive Big Sky Conference championship as she pulled off the sprint double during the 2011 outdoor season.
She ran a personal best of 7.49 seconds in the 60m, placing second behind her Trinidadian teammate Geronne Black who had a career best 7.36. Her time places her as the second fastest indoor performer behind Tahesia Harrigan-Scott on the all time list. She ran 7.50 in the prelims.
For her National Record performance, King will collect a Sol National Record breakers awards during the BVI Athletics Association fourth Athletes Awards Recognition Gala, in December. An athlete establishing an indoor or outdoor national record that stands at season’s end qualifies for the award.
King’s teammate Dominique Maloney had non advancing times of 57.42 in the 400m and 25.46 in the 200m.
In the Big 10 Conference Championships, Illinois’ senior and defending champion Ashley Kelly, had to settle for fourth place in the 400m—which was won by her teammate Ashley Spencer in 53.49 seconds. Kelly had a season’s best time of 54.47 seconds after running 54.61 to advance to the final. She was eight in the 200m in 24.16 seconds, after becoming the territory’s No. 2 all time performer behind King, with her 24.07 prelims run.
Kelly teamed with Spencer, Asia Thomas and Latoya Griffith to set a Big Ten meet record and school record in the 4 x 400m relay, where they ran 3:34.89 to win the event for the first time in the conference championships since 2005. Illinois finished in fourth place with 79 points, the highest finish for the Illini since the 2007 season.