Peterson Starts European Sessions With Season Best
7/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
July 18, 2005
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Former Missouri track and field standout Derrick Peterson started the summer European circuit is fine fashion on Sunday. Peterson, an eight-time Big 12 Champion while at Missouri, ran a season-best 1:46.09 in the 800-meter run, placing second, in a meet in Lignano, Italy. Peterson, an alternate for the World Championship team, placed fourth in late-June at the USATF Championships.
Peterson mentioned that he just stepped off the plane before delivering his best performance of the season.
"I felt great the entire race and was just racing to win," said Peterson. "I figured it would be a fast time. I just had to be controlled and run my own race, which I did. This is a great start to my European season; I'm hoping to continue the streak over the next few weeks."
Peterson will continue the season with a 600-meter race in Liege, Belgium, on Wednesday before competing in the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden, Belgium, on Saturday.
Peterson ran a 1:45.08 in the 800 meter at last year's Olympic Trials to earn a spot on America's Olympic Team for the first time in his career. Now at 28-years-old, Peterson still ranks in the top 50 in the World at 800 meters.
A Foul Start to Cantwell's European Excursion
Recently crowned American shot put champ and former Tiger Christian Cantwell did not have the start to the European season that he was expecting on Saturday. At the IAAF Super Grand Prix meet in Madrid, Spain, Cantwell effectively went "three-and-out", fouling on each of his three attempts in the trials.
Olympic bronze-medalist Joachim Olsen of Denmark won the event with a toss of 70-¼ (21.32m).
Cantwell still can score big World Ranking points at Grand Prix meets in London on Friday and in Helsinki, Finland, next Monday.
Cantwell won the U.S. Championship in late-June and will be on America's World Championship team that competes in early-August in Helsinki.
For more information, check out mutigers.com.
