May 13, 2005
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Missouri Track & Field team began action at the Big 12 Championships on Friday at R.V. Christian Track Complex in Manhattan, Kan. Hans Uldal stands in third after day one competition in the men's decathlon. Four Tigers also scored, earning a spot on the all-Big 12 team.
In the men's hammer throw, sophomore Bobby Musil (DeBois, Neb.) became the third Tiger underclassman to qualify for the NCAA Regional Championships in the event. In an overwhelmingly deep field, Musil placed eighth, earning his first tap to the All-Big 12 team with a throw of 186-8 (56.90m) and moving to third all-time at Mizzou. The distance obtained for eighth matches what the eight-year average has yielded for a thrower in the conference to place fourth, proving the depth of the field. Freshmen Jason Morris and Tyler Dailey were 11th and 12th, respectively, earning respectable marks over 180 feet.
In another hammer throw breakthrough, freshman Denise Gilmore (Manhattan, Kan.) improved her personal-best in the women's event by over six feet, enough to earn an eighth-place All-Big 12 honor. Hitting the nearly the same mark twice, Gilmore's best came on her first throw, with a heave of 172-8 (52.63m).
In the women's 10,000-meter run, junior Valerie Lauver (Allen, Texas) became an overall six-time All-Big 12 performer with a fourth-place finish, running in 34:32.42. Also now a six-time All-Big 12 performer, junior Tim Ross (Alto, Mich.) placed eighth in the men's 10,000-meter run with a time of 30:25.28.
Uldal finished the first day with a third-place total of 3,875 points, a season best and 49 points off his school-record pace. Uldal was helped ultimately by his two-foot personal best toss in the shot put of 48-8¾ (14.85m), an event he won by three feet. The day started with a moderate rain that impacted the 100-meter dash and long jump events.
Sophomore Bjorn Sommerfeldt actually did well with the rain falling, clocking a personal-best in the 100-meter portion of the decathlon with a time of 11.29. His day-one score of 3,717, places him fifth with five events to go. Senior Brandon Goebbert stands 10th with 3,311 points.
Tiger heptathletes Kaela Rorvig and Liz Young finished day one of their competition in 11th and 12th place, respectively. Rorvig (Columbia, Mo./Hickman HS) wrapped a personal-best day one score of 2,831 points thanks to a life's best in the 100-meter hurdles, occurring during a moderate rain (14.79).
While very early in team scoring, the Tiger men are currently in seventh with two points - Kansas leads with 20. The Tiger women are in ninth with six points - Texas A&M leads with 18.
For more information, visit mutigers.com and big12sports.com.