June 12, 2003
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Kenneth Baxter highlighted Purdue's second day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The junior finished runner-up in his qualifying heat Thursday morning and later placed seventh overall in the semifinals.
The semifinals were composed of the top three runners from each of the four qualifying heats, plus the next six fastest. Saturday night's nine-man championship consists of the top four finishers from each semifinal race plus the next fastest.
Baxter edged his way into the finals after beating Arkansas' Ahmad Carroll by .01 seconds for fourth place in the second semifinal race. Carroll will serve as the championship's ninth competitor after clocking a time of 20.93 seconds. Baxter's seventh-place time of 20.92 was nearly a half second faster than his morning qualifying time of 21.33.
The junior's personal record of 20.86 was recorded in April at the Billy Hayes Invitational in Bloomington, Ind.
Shaun Guice was denied a chance at attaining a seventh All-America citation after he failed to clear the 2.14-meter (6 feet, 10 3/4 inches) mark in the high jump. Guice, the 2003 outdoor Big Ten Champion, passed on the opening height of 2.06, cleared the 2.10 mark in his first attempt, but fouled out at 2.14.
Pole vaulter Simona Kovacic was eliminated from competition after missing the 4.00 (13-1 1/2) mark. Kovacic's Big Ten colleagues Tara Clack of Wisconsin and Iowa's Jessica Strand also failed to advance.
Pooh Williams, Keith McBride and Nedzad Mulabegovic return to action Friday. Williams takes part in the finals of the pole vault competition at 8 p.m. Hammer thrower McBride looks to earn his first All-America citation at 12 p.m., and his throwing cohort Mulabegovic goes for gold in the shot put championship at 9:30 p.m.
Baxter's run for the 200-meter championship is scheduled for Saturday at 10:30 p.m.
For complete results and schedule of events, track and field fans should access the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships web site through www.ncaasports.com.