Runar Arnorsson and Sean Donnelly posed for pictures and smiled as if they knew each other. They had never met, though, only knowing they were both Gophers record holders.
They shook hands and made small talk about their achievements.
Arnorsson is an average-sized golfer from Iceland who broke a 17-year-old school record for the lowest round. The sophomore shot a 10-under 62, with eight birdies and one eagle, in the first round of the Barona Collegiate Cup last week in San Diego. He went on to win his first collegiate title.
Donnelly is a well-built track and field athlete from Ohio. In his first outdoor event with the Gophers, the senior transfer from Division III Mount Union shattered the hammer throw school record with a 74.35-meter toss in Tempe, Ariz.
The newly crowned record-setters chatted with the Star Tribune's Jason Gonzalez:
Q When did you realize you set a school record?
Arnorsson I had no idea what the school record was before the round. It was when I finished the last hole. I made the putt and my coach came up to me and told me I set a school record.
Donnelly After I threw it and it landed I knew it was pretty far. Then they called off the number and they said, '74.' I said 'Wait, what?!' And they said '74.35' and I was just running around in disbelief.