June 22, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS--Current, former, and future members of the Missouri track and field squad competed in the first days of the AT&T USATF Championships and the Finish Line USATF Junior Championships in Indianapolis on Wednesday and Thursday. Some of the bigger headlines early on is the advancement of Tiger post-collegian Derrick Peterson and outgoing senior Neville Miller advancing to the semifinal of the men's 800-meter run in the elite competition.
An originally planned field of 24 in the men's 800-meter run, ballooned to 40 after meet officials decided to allow more entrants into the event. What resulted were four highly competitive - and highly crowded - heats of 10 with only 16 spots up for grabs in the semifinal. Some of the best runners in the nation were hindered in advancing to the semifinals. Luckily, post-collegian Derrick Peterson ran the race needed to win his heat and advance automatically to tomorrow's next round, clocking 1:48.52 in a super-close section that had the top five finish within a half second of each other. Senior Neville Miller (St. Louis, Mo.) had the second-best time qualifier at 1:47.99, a new season-best to advance to the next round.
Ashley Patten and Trisa Nickoley will wait a day to compete in the women's 800-meter run. As what happened a year ago, the first round was cancelled due to the number of entries and automatically advances the field to the semifinal to be held Friday.
Freshman Blake Figgins (Detroit, Mich.) grabbed the final time-qualifying spot in the junior men's 800-meter preliminary to advance to tomorrow's final. Figgins came across in 1:53.44, and led from the cut until the final turn. Although Figgins finished fifth in his heat, his strong start helped gain him a spot in the final.
Freshman JaNay Woolridge (Jessup, Md.) earned USATF Junior All-America status with a sixth-place finish in the junior women's long jump, leaping to a new season best of 19-5½ (5.93mw).
Incoming freshman Andy Oaker (Steelville, Mo.) placed fifth in the junior men's shot put (6 kg) at 58-½ (17.69m).
Wednesday: Jeffries, Hedgecock Take Third and Fourth in Junior Men's 5k
Yesterday, Tiger freshmen Garett Jeffries and Dan Hedgecock (both from St. Louis) competed in the junior men's 5,000-meter championship. Despite very warm and humid conditions, the Tiger duo placed third and fourth, respectively in the race. Jeffries, who placed ninth at the Big 12 Championships in the event, clocked 14:51.14.
Upcoming: Friday - A Day Full of Tigers
The busiest day for Missouri at this year's USA Championships will be on Friday. Christian Cantwell goes for a second-straight American championship in the men's shot put. Semifinal rounds of the 800 meter will be ran. And, 2005 USA Bronze Medalist Fiona Asigbee begins competition in the women's heptathlon.
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