EUGENE, ORE. (KFSM) – Jarrion Lawson was expected to be a major factor in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships but what he did put him in rare territory.
The Arkansas senior became just the third athlete in history, and the first since Jesse Owens in the 1930s, to win three individual national championships at one meet. Lawson won titles in the long jump, 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.
“It’s just a great feeling,” Lawson said. “I take great pride in doing all these events. I love to do them. especially for myself and for my team and to come out here and get ten points for my team in an event I know I probably wasn’t supposed to. I just thankful to God for it.”
Lawson’s win in the 100-meter dash was unexpected but the Arkansas sprinter made up ground in the final 30-meters to win .01 ahead of Tennessee’s Christian Coleman. Coleman won the event at the national indoor championships.
Arkansas held a two point lead heading into the final event, the 4 x 400-meter relay, but a second place finish by Florida in the event gave the Gators the team national championship. The Razorbacks finished second with 56 team points, six behind Florida.
