@CanesTrack Shines on Day 2 at NCAAs
EUGENE, Ore. – Alysha Newman and Shakima Wimbley were individual stars on Thursday, while Miami’s 4x400m relay provided the best punctuation on a strong day at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The Hurricanes had a busy day at Hayward Field on Thursday, competing in six different events on the first of two days of women’s track and field action.
“We started out a little shaky,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. ”But we came back strong in the 400m, the pole vault and the 4x400m. It finished well, but we were hoping to have a little bit more go through to Saturday.”
Newman finished tied for second in the women’s pole vault, clearing 4.30m while vaulting on a chilly and rainy night in Eugene. The senior passed on the opening two heights, 4.05m and 4.20m, before entering the competition at 4.30m. Newman cleared her opening bar on her first attempt and passed at 4.35m, choosing to make her next attempt at 4.40m.
Four competitors remained when Newman made her next attempt, a miss at 4.40m that was her first miss of the competition. The senior failed to clear the bar at 4.40m on her next two attempts, tying with Louisiana-Lafayette’s Morgann Leleux.
“I am definitely happy to finish my senior year on top, but being me, I always wanted more,” Newman said. “This is definitely not the end of my pole vaulting career. I will continue to compete and am looking forward to the Canadian Trials and hope to secure my spot on the Canadian Olympic team.”
Wimbley was Miami’s star on the track Thursday at Hayward Field. The junior won Heat 1 of the women’s 400m semifinals with a time of 51.78 seconds, earning an automatic bid to Saturday’s final. Wimbley will be the third seed in the final Saturday afternoon, scheduled for 7:32 p.m. ET.
“It’s a great feeling to make it to the final,” Wimbley said. “I didn’t do as well as I wanted at the beginning of the season, but now it’s all coming together and I’m pumped and ready to go.”
The quartet of Destiny Washington, Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis & Wimbley combined to finish third in Heat 1 of the women’s 4x400m relay semifinals with a season-best time of 3:29.68 that ranks fifth in UM history. Miami’s 4x400m relay earned spot in Saturday’s final, running the third-fastest semifinal time of the 24 teams in the field.
“I was proud of my teammates,” Wimbley said. “They kept me in position and laid it all out there and it was my job to finish the deal for us. I was kind of stiff, but I didn’t give up. I’m proud and I’m more happy for the relay than I am for myself in the 400.”
Stiverne also competed in the women’s 400m, running a time of 53.05 seconds. The junior finished seventh in Heat 3 and 15th overall in the event, but did not advance to the final.
Ebony Morrison finished 15th in the women’s 100m hurdles semifinals. The junior placed fifth in Heat 2 of the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.14 seconds, but did not advance to the final. Morrison, who shattered the school record in her last race before the NCAA Championships, is qualified to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in July.
The women’s 4x100m relay team of Wimbley, Carolyn Brown, Stiverne and Morrison combined to finish third in Heat 2 of the semifinals with a time of 44.18 seconds. The Hurricanes ran the 12th-fastest time during the semifinals, but did not advance to Saturday’s 4x100m final.
“I didn’t think we executed very well in the 4×1 and, unfortunately, it wasn’t Ebony’s day in the hurdles,” Deem said. “Those are disappointing because those are two events we thought we could do well in.”
Precious Ogunleye was the first Hurricane in action on Thursday, competing in the women’s hammer throw. The senior, who qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second consecutive year, placed 22nd with a throw of 56.91m.
“Shakima is in a very good place,” Deem said. “She did what she needed to do to advance. I’m pleased with how the relay ran and having Alysha do so well tonight was great. There were some tough conditions, but everyone has the same conditions. I was proud of our kids because the weather actually got worse as the night went on and we didn’t let the 4×1 or the hurdles affect us. Everyone kept competing. I was proud that they stayed positive and the 4×4 went out there and executed such a good race. Overall, it was a good day. You just always want just a little bit more.”
The Hurricanes had women advance to the national meet in the 400m, 100m hurdles, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, pole vault, high jump and hammer throw. Miami had men qualify for the NCAA Championships in the shot put and triple jump. The 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., from June 8-11.
For the second straight year, the NCAA Outdoor Championships schedule has been divided by gender. The men will compete on Wednesday, June 8, and Friday, June 10, while the women are in action on Thursday, June 9, and Saturday, June 11.
All four days of the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be broadcast live on the ESPN family of networks. Friday’s telecast starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3 and continues at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Saturday’s broadcast begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3 and at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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