FLORENCE, Italy – A trio of runner-up finishes highlighted action from athletes with ties to the Arkansas Razorbacks program during the Diamond League meet on Friday.
Arkansas alums Tina Šutej and Sandi Morris finished second and equal fourth in the pole vault. Razorback volunteer assistant Shamier Little was runner-up in the 400m hurdles, and Tara Davis-Woodhall, who trains in Fayetteville, placed second in the long jump.
Šutej attempted a height of 15-7.75 (4.77), which is half an inch higher than her Slovenia national record of 15-7.25 (4.76), at the end of the pole vault competition. She was in second place to Katie Moon as both cleared the deciding height of 15-5.5 (4.71), with Šutej clearing on a third attempt while Moon cleared on a second try.
The series for Šutej included a first attempt clearance at 14-5.5 (4.41), two attempts at 14-9.5 (4.51), one jump at 15-1.5 (4.61), and then three tries at 15-5.5. Moon passed the 15-7.75 height and missed three attempts at 15-9.75 (4.82).
“Actually, yesterday, I was not sure that I would jump because I had a really bad pain in my back,” Šutej said. “It had spread to the front and into my shoulder. So, I spent a lot of time at my physio. It was a really bad pain. On a scale from 1 to 10 it was 10.
“It was really acute, and they helped me to get better. But it was hurting today, and I didn’t want to think about it. I just wanted a few good jumps. I don’t have much time to recover because I am travelling by car in the morning home to compete at the national competition. It’s 7 hours away and I need just one good jump. I believe I can make it. My next start should be in Paris so I hope it will be OK by that time.”
Morris cleared 15-1.5 on a third attempt in tying for fourth place with Roberta Bruni of Italy, as both matched the third-place height achieved by Australian Nina Kennedy, who had a first attempt make.