Murray State University Athletics
MSU Track & Field Duo Are Friends & Competitors
4/11/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Seniors Shameka Dial and Dominique Robinson have been trading places for four years and as they come to the end of the road as teammates they often wonder if they could have achieved the success they have as Racers without one another.
Robinson is a power thrower from Huntsville Ala. and has always been a force to be reckoned with in the Ohio Valley Conference. Of the many honors Robinson has received, the most prestigious was being named the 2006 Ohio Valley Conference Co-Female Field Athlete of the Year.
Last year, she won the 20 pound weight throw at the OVC Indoor Championships, with a toss of 54'04.00" (16.56 meters), which was a Murray State school record and the OVC's best throw of the 2007 season. She took second place in the shot put competition at the OVC Indoor and third place finish at the OVC Outdoor Championships. She broke the Murray State record with a toss of 45 feet, 10.75 inches.
However, Dial, a Tacoma, Wash. native, has been with her every step the way, making the inter-team competition fierce.
Last year, She threw 44'00.75" (13.43 meters) in the shot put at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships placing second and in the discus she finished in fourth place with a toss of 132'11" (40.52 meters). In indoor she second place in the 20 pound weight throw at the OVC Indoor Championships with a toss of 54'01.25" (16.49 meters).
This year with hard work and dedication both Robinson and Dial have had there most successful season in their four years at Murray State.
Dial was named the 2007 Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Female Field Athlete of the Year.
At the 2008 OVC indoor track and field championships Robinson placed second in the shot put with a toss of 13.78 meters (45-02.50), while Dial finished in fourth place with a toss of 13.48 meters (44-02.75).
Overall, the weight throw school record was broken three times this season, Robinson broke the MSU school record for the second time this season at the indoor OVC championships with her toss of 18.15 meters (59-06.75), winning the event. Robinson bested teammate Shameka Dial's school record (58-06.75) by exactly one foot. Dial finished in third place with a throw of 17.77 meters (58-03.75).
Robinson is graduating in December with a marketing degree, while Dial plans to stay one more year to finish her degree in occupational health and safety.
Dial said that having a teammate like Robinson pushes her to do her best everyday, but she also had to get creative with her practice schedule this year because of class conflicts.
“Dominique is a great teammate we push each other in the weight room to get bigger and stronger,” Dial said. “In the off season we pushed each other is in practice but when indoor began I wasn't able to practice with the team because of time conflicts. I had to coach myself this whole season. My boyfriend would help me set up the mats and ring so I could throw. Also he would video tape me so I could see what I was doing wrong because I didn't have a coach there to help me.”
