Brianne Theisen hurdling in the Pentathlon at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Champs (© Kirby Lee)
Brianne Theisen, a University of Oregon junior, set a collegiate record in the women’s Pentathlon at the first day of the NCAA Indoor Championships (11).
Theisen, who comes from Saskatchewan, Canada, scored 4540 points to beat the previous record of 4496 set by Jacquelyn Johnson in 2008. Event by event, her performances were 60m Hurdles, 8.35; High Jump, 1.84; Shot Put, 12.38; Long Jump, 5.96; 800m 2:11.82. Tied for second at a good 4396 points were Chantae McMillan of Nebraska and Kiani Profit of Maryland.
"I usually don't go into a meet feeling much pressure,” said Theisen, "but there was a feeling that I was supposed to break the record, and if you don't break the record you're no good. And that put pressure on me."
Fast 200s
In the sprints, the only finals were the men’s and women’s 200 metres. In the men’s 200, Rakieem Salaam of Oklahoma, the fastest qualifier with 20.39sec - the fastest indoor time in the world in 2011 - came back to win the final in 20.41, edging Maurice Mitchell of Florida State, 20.401 to 20.403. Salaam and Mitchell also led the qualifiers for Saturday’s 60m, with both running 6.55.
The women’s 200m was won by Florida State’s Kimberlyn Duncan in 22.85sec, who said “I was confident. I had no choice, because for me being nervous the race doesn’t go too well, so I just knew I had to be confident.”
Jeneba Tarmoh won the second section race in 22.88sec and was overall the next quickest behind Duncan.
The 60m heats were led by the 2009 champion, Lakya Brookins, with a 7.13 which tied the meet record.
In the 400 metres trials, Jessica Beard of host Texas A&M won her heat in 51.64, a full second faster than the next fastest qualifier, Shelise Williams of Arkansas. Commenting on her time, a personal best on a 200m track, Beard said, “It didn’t feel like my PR. I’m anxious and ready to see what I have for tomorrow.”
The men’s 400 heats were as close as the women’s weren’t. Tony McQuay of Florida was the fastest, in 45.82 sec, but the next twelve all finished within one second of him, and the eighth slowest qualifier, Charles Cox of North Carolina, ran 46.61.
The men’s 5000m was won by Leonard Korir of Iona, who outsprinted Sam Chelanga of Liberty, 13:26.01 to 13:27.34. Chelanga, who also finished second a year ago, said, somewhat wistfully, “I tried to push. Maybe it was a mistake because I couldn’t hang that last mile. I just put all my cards in the beginning of the race.”
In the women’s 5000m, favourite Jackie Areson of Tennessee took off after a sluggish first 4000m to win by 30 metres in 16:04.16.
The best field event performance was an 8.14 winning Long Jump by Ngonidzashe Makusha of Florida State. Two other jumpers reached 8 metres, Will Claye of Florida (8.05) and last year’s outdoor champion, Marquise Goodwin of Texas, who jump 8.00.
In other field events, Scott Roth of Washington and Ben Peterson of Minnesota pole vaulted 5.50, with Roth winning on the countback; and in the men’s Shot Put, Leif Arhennius of Brigham Young upset favoured Mason Finley of Kansas, 19.92 to 19.75.
James Dunaway for the IAAF
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