Salaam lowers U.S.-leading time

Oklahoma Athletics

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Junior sprinter Mookie Salaam lowered his own NCAA leading time en route to winning the men’s 60-meter dash as he led a group of Oklahoma Track and Field athletes Friday at the Tyson Invitational.

Salaam entered the meet ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 2 in the world and improved his time in the semifinals to 6.54 before winning the event with a time of 6.59. Both marks eclipsed the NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 6.60. Only Jamaica’s Nesta Carter has run a faster time in the world this season with a 6.52 at Millrose Games on Jan. 28.

Salaam advanced to the semfinals after clocking the fastest time of the event’s prelims at 6.63. With the three rounds of competition, Salaam is one of only two athletes in the world this season to run sub-6.60 three times. Salaam’s 6.54 and 6.59 on Friday along with his 6.55 at the Big 12 vs. SEC Challenge on Jan. 29 is matched only in the sub-6.60 category by the 2010 World Silver medalist, USA’s Mike Rodgers, who owns times of 6.56, 6.56 and 6.58 this season.