Irishman Wins Weight Throw in NCAA Meet

Manhattan’s Gary Halpin, a major disappointment last year, rebounded to win the 35-pound weight throw, the first event of the NCAA Indoor track and field championships Friday at the Myriad.

Halpin had a winning throw of 68 feet 3 inches, his personal best and a school record.

Halpin, a 22-year-old senior from Kilkenny, Ireland, had been the favorite in the 1987 championships but finished seventh.

“Last year, everything that could go wrong went wrong,” he said. “It looked like I would never get an NCAA title. Now, I’m delighted. I’m ready to jump over the moon.

“It will be a good St. Patrick’s Day for me now. I think I’ll start celebrating tonight.’

Meanwhile, Celeste Halliday of Villanova led a group of nine runners in breaking the record in the women’s 800 meters, winning her preliminary heat in 2 minutes, 7.22 seconds.

The previous record of 2:10.21 was set by Trena Hall of Nevada Las Vegas in 1987.

Halliday, a junior from Bloomfield, Conn., was the Big East Conference 500-meter and 1,000-meter champion. Her performance in the 800 prelims made her the strong favorite for Saturday night’s final.

In the men’s 800 preliminaries, Jim Maton of Eastern Illinois posted the fastest time, 1:49.76, in leading a group of eight into Saturday night’s final.

Arkansas’ chance of winning a record fifth consecutive men’s title suffered a blow in the 800 prelims, as Wayne Moncrieffe, one of the faster qualifiers coming into the meet, finished eighth in his heat and failed to make the final.

Moncrieffe said he was bumped early during his race, was knocked off stride “and ran a stupid race.”