July 9, 2004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Friday was the first day of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Sacramento, Calif., Missouri was well represented by current and former track and field athletes. Christian Cantwell advanced to Saturday's final in the men's shot put, Derrick Peterson advanced to the semifinal in the 800, and Fiona Asigbee is in eighth place with a personal-best day one score in the women's heptathlon.
Asigbee sets in eighth place after day one with 3,524 points, spurred on by a huge PR in the high jump. Asigbee cleared 10 bars on her way to the 6-? bar (1.84m), having the best jump of anyone in the discipline. She bettered her old best in the event by over three inches.
Michelle Moran is in ninth place in the heptathlon with 3,413 points, near a personal-best.
Asigbee is only 12 points from seventh and 110 points from the magical third place spot. Day two will begin tomorrow at 3:10 p.m., central.
"Tonight's really a great time to be a Tiger," said Derrick Peterson.
Peterson won his heat in the quarterfinal of the 800-meter dash in a time of 1:47.83. But, as he has done so many times, Peterson needed his strong leg kick to win his race. Peterson came into the final 100 meters in sixth place, having to pass the bunch to get ahead. Once he did so, Peterson took a large lead in the last 20 meters to win by over a half-second.
"This was just another race for me," said Peterson. "I feel great and I think things are really starting to come together. I'm feeling confident about tomorrow's race."
Peterson will run in tomorrow's two-heat semifinals at 8:10 p.m., central. The top four in each heat will advance to Sunday's finals.
Also in the 800, Timothy Dunne ran a good race, finishing in fifth in his heat, clocking in at 1:48.38. However, to qualify for the semifinal participants had to place in the top four in their heat or in the top four of remaining times. Dunne's time was fifth of the remaining times, giving him a 17th final placing.
No. 1 shot putter in the World, Christian Cantwell, qualified for tomorrow's shot put finals. His throw of 68 feet, 7? inches (20.91m) automatically placed him into the final. Cantwell's first throw basically slipped out of his hand, and he fouled the attempt. His second of three possible throws was his day's best.
"I wanted to be a little more intense out there," Cantwell said. "Tomorrow will be a lot more pressure, but I do better with that. It's going to be fun, and I'll be ready to show up, perform, and get the job done."
Missouri junior Conrad Woolsey placed 17th in the event, throwing for 59 feet, 5? inches. Woolsey ends a fantastic year as a Tiger. He was the only one at the University to earn two All-America honors in the year.
William Hopson, a late entry into the meet, graduated from Missouri in 2000. He improved three feet from his collegiate personal best in the long jump to earn his spot in the meet. On this day, Hopson finished in 20th place, jumping 23 feet, 6? inches (7.17m). Hopson finished third in the 1999 Big 12 Championships.
Tomorrow is another busy day for Missouri. First, the women's heptathlon will start day two competition beginning at 3:10 p.m., central. At 6:30 p.m., central, Christian Cantwell will throw in the men's shot put final. And, at 8:10 p.m., central, Derrick Peterson will run in the semifinal round of the men's 800.
NBC will air live coverage of the meet, likely with Cantwell's final throws, from 7-8 p.m., central. For more information, including live coverage and results, visit mutigers.com.