Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Day 2
Coburn and Kipp Punch Tickets to Nationals
May 28, 2010 | Track and Field
AUSTIN, Texas ? University of Colorado runners Emma Coburn and Shalaya Kipp went 1-2 in the first heat of 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday to earn a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship.
Coburn finished with a time of 10 minutes, 8.35 seconds and Kipp's mark was 10:10.04, a personal record by .44 seconds. The pair ran together in the first of three heats at the NCAA West Region Preliminary Championship at Mike A. Myers Stadium; working together to advance to the semifinals of the event at the national championship in Eugene, Ore. June 9-12. SMU's Silje Fjortoft ran the best time of the round at 10:08.20 in the third and final heat.
“They ran exactly as we instructed them to get through in difficult conditions,” head coach Mark Wetmore said. “It was another hot, muggy night here. They kept hitting their splits and advanced easily.”
Coburn, who entered the race with the top time in the region (9:56.29), went right to the front of the pack and Kipp was right on her tail. They ran 1-2 for the entire race although Kipp had to fend off New Mexico's Ruth Senior (10:15.46) and Washinton's Marie Lawrence (10:16.32). By the final lap Kipp had put enough distance between her and the other two runners to easily take second and earn an automatic bid to nationals. (The top three finishers of each heat advance while three more advance on time.)
The day didn't start off so well for Jeremy Dodson as he failed to qualify for the semis in the 100-meter dash in Eugene, finishing fourth in the third heat with a time of 10.48. He was the first man left out of the trip to Eugene as he ended up 13th overall. Texas A&M's Gerald Phiri won the heat and the quarterfinals in 10.17.
But Dodson didn't back down and came roaring back 90 minutes later in the first round of the 200. He got out of the blocks well and took the lead heading into the turn. Dodson had a good lead going in the home stretch and let up slightly in the final 10 meters so Baylor's Whitney Prevost nipped him at the finish line. Both finished with a time of 20.88 but Prevost out-leaned Dodson at the line to win the heat. Dodson's mark was the eighth best in the round. The quarterfinals of the 200 are on Saturday at 7:50 p.m. (CST).
“We were disappointed in 100 for Jeremy, but he looked great in the 200,” Wetmore said. “He ran a really good time in lane one which is the toughest lane to run in and with his time tonight he earned a good lane for tomorrow's race.”
Christian Thompson also ran on Friday for the Buffs, but he did not advance to nationals as he placed 32nd overall in the steeplechase with a time of 9:09.27. He was ninth in the third heat despite starting off strong. He ran in the middle of the pack and had moved into eighth around the halfway point. After that he slipped back and wasn't be able to regain his ground.
“It wasn't a great night for Christian, but I think he ran a good race for him in 2010," Wetmore said.
The NCAA Preliminaries are the first step in a new process to quality athletes for the NCAA Championship. There are two championship preliminaries (west and east) this weekend and the top 12 competitors at each site will advance to the national championship. The Buffs have qualified three athletes (Coburn, Kipp and Joe Bosshard in the 10k) for the championship through Friday's competition. The meet concludes on Saturday. Live results and a live stream of the event are available at texassports.com.
-COLORADO-
NCAA WEST PRELIMINARY
Austin, Texas (Mike A. Myers Stadium)
Men's 100-Meters (quarterfinals): (1.Gerald Phiri, Texas A&M, 10.17) 13. Jeremy Dodson, 10.48
Men's 200-Meters (first round): (1. Curtis Mitchell, Texas A&M, 20.27) 8. Jeremy Dodson, 20.88
Men's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (quarterfinals): (1. Richard Nelson, BYU, 8:45.76) 32. Christian Thompson, 9:09.27
Women's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase (quarterfinals): (1. Silje Fjortoft, SMU, 10:08.20) 2. Emma Coburn, 10:08.35; 3. Shalaya Kipp 10:10.04
Players Mentioned
