TRACK AND FIELD NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS : Arkansas’ Walder Sets Record in Long Jump

Erick Walder of Arkansas broke the NCAA championship record in the men’s long jump Thursday with a leap of 28 feet, the best in the world this year.

Walder’s jump, breaking the mark of 27-9 1/2 he set last year, made him the No. 2 collegiate jumper of all-time behind Carl Lewis, who jumped 28-3 1/2 in 1981 while at Houston.

Earlier Thursday, world record-holder Mike Powell had become the world leader with a jump of 27-10 3/4 at a meet in Madrid.

Danyel Mitchell of Lousiana State, meanwhile, won the discus title with a throw of 186 feet 6 inches. Dawn Dumble, three-time Pacific 10 Conference champion from UCLA, finished second at 183-2.

The victory at Tad Gormley Stadium, site of last year’s U.S. Olympic trials, was the first for Mitchell over Dumble in the discus, although she beat the UCLA junior in the shotput at last year’s NCAA meet.

Mitchell’s winning throw came on the first of her six tosses. Mitchell completed the competition with a throw of 184-8, second best overall.

Her discus victory was worth 10 points and gave LSU 25 points after only two events. Tennessee was second with 11. LSU is bidding for a record seventh consecutive women’s crown.