June 6, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Ca. - The Purdue University men's and women's track and field teams saw a pair of their five first-day competitors keep their All-American hopes alive at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, in Sacramento, Ca. on Wednesday, as they advanced to the finals in their respective events.
Junior Astin Steward failed to make the finals in the women's hammer throw, finishing 20th with a throw of 56.35 meters (184-10), but returned later to post a mark of 50.69 meters (166-04) in the discus and advance to the finals. She will throw Friday at 3:15 p.m. in the championship flight.
Junior captain Leah Kincaid moved on to the finals as well, placing 12th in the prelims of the women's long jump. She posted a mark of 6.21 meters (20-04.50) to move on to tomorrow's championship flight, which will commence at 4 p.m.
"I'm really excited to compete in the national finals," said Kincaid. "I wasn't really sure if I had made it because I couldn't see the scoreboard, but it's a thrill to be amongst the nation's elite."
Junior Keith Hopkins and senior Rickey Pinkney both sailed into the semifinals in the men's 110-meter high hurdles with respective preliminary times of 13.85 and 13.92, but neither were able to advance to Friday's championships as they finished in the latter half of their semifinal races. Sophomore Eric Sparks failed to clear the opening height of 5.00 meters to bow out of the men's pole vault.
The Boilermakers continue competition tomorrow as senior Lindsey Blaine and freshman Stacey Wannemacher take aim on the finals in the women's javelin and shot put, respectively. Blaine throws in the first flight at 6 p.m., while Wannemacher is slotted in the first flight at 7:15 p.m.