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2010 NCAA Championships Preview
by Chris Wainwright
Australian athletes have had some great success in recent history at the Championships, which has included McNeill taking home a silver medal over 5000m in 2009 (behind Galen Rupp). Last year also saw Shawn Forrest place second in the 10000m, also being beaten to the line by Rupp. In 2008 Forrest also placed second in the 10000m, beaten to the title by Shadrack Songok of Kenya (by only 0.39 seconds). The last time an Australian actually took home a title from a NCAA Championships was in 2005, where both Fabrice Lapierre (long jump) and Victoria Mitchell (3000m steeplechase) won their respective events.
Foster started out 2010 with Australian Indoor records in both the 800m and 1000m, although has struggled to replicate the form outdoors. Hi season’s best over 800m was actually set indoors (1.47.32), while outdoors Foster has managed a SB of 1.47.78 when 6th at the Stanford Invitational in early May. The favourite for the title will again be Andrew Wheating (Oregon), who is the defending champion and owns an impressive PB of 1.45.03 (when placing 2nd at the 2008 USA Championships). Many experts also believe that Robby Andrews (Virginia) has a big enough kick to upset Wheating, and enters the Championships with a PB of 1.46.87 – achieved when qualifying for the finals in Oregon.
Zoe Buckman (Oregon) – Women’s 1500m
The 20 year-old Gregson has had a standout year in 2010, which has included PB’s in the mile (indoors) – 4.40.08, 1500m – 4.19.14 (when qualifying for the NCAA Championships) and 800m – 2.07.10. Placed 10th at the NCAA Indoor Championships this year in the women’s mile, and will enter the 1500m finals in Oregon hoping to also place in the top-10.
Julian Wruck (Texas Tech) – Men’s Discus Throw
It has been an impressive year for the junior discus star. Not only has the 19 year-old Wruck qualified for the NCAA Championships but he will also represent Australia at the 2010 World Junior Championships next month and the Commonwealth Games in October. In early January Wruck threw the 1.75kg discus 61.69m, but even more impressively he improved his PB with the senior discus (2kg) to 61.02m – a distance that could easily be enough to take home the NCAA title.
Wruck said recently “I am very confident heading into Oregon and believe that if I throw well, I can win”. Wruck went onto say that he believed that a young thrower from Kansas, Mason Finley, was his biggest threat for the title. Finley, who is also 19 years-old, owns a PB with the 2kg discus of 60.18m, but it is also interesting to note that Finley owns an impressive PB of 65.34m with the 1.75kg discus (which is also an American junior record).
2010 NCAA Championships Preview - Australian Athletes
In what is certainly one of the biggest annual track and field meetings held in the United States, six Australian athletes will be lining up at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This year it will be held in Eugene, Oregon (9th-12th June), with a fantastic opportunity for Australian athletes to take home NCAA titles, including 2009 World Championship representative David McNeill in the men’s 5000m.
Australian athletes have had some great success in recent history at the Championships, which has included McNeill taking home a silver medal over 5000m in 2009 (behind Galen Rupp). Last year also saw Shawn Forrest place second in the 10000m, also being beaten to the line by Rupp. In 2008 Forrest also placed second in the 10000m, beaten to the title by Shadrack Songok of Kenya (by only 0.39 seconds). The last time an Australian actually took home a title from a NCAA Championships was in 2005, where both Fabrice Lapierre (long jump) and Victoria Mitchell (3000m steeplechase) won their respective events.McNeill will again line up in the 5000m in Oregon and will be joined by Aussie athletes Zoe Buckman (1500m), Heidi Gregson (1500m), Ryan Foster (800m), Julian Wruck (Discus Throw) and Megan Wheatley (heptathlon). We take a look at each of the Australian’s chances at this year’s Championships.
David McNeill (Northern Arizona) – Men’s 5000m
Final: Saturday, June 12
McNeill will enter the final as favourite, with a season’s best and personal best of 13:25.63 (when winning the Stanford Invitational in late March). McNeill has also run 7.47.52 indoors over 3000m, and his recent form suggests that a sub 13:20.00 is not completely out of the question in 2010. His biggest challenge should come from Sam Chelanga (Liberty), who recently ran a stunning 27:08.39 over 10000m* and also owns a best over 5000m of 13:19.79 (which was actually set indoors back in 2009). Stanford University athletes Chris Derrick (PB of 13:29.98) and Elliott Heath (PB of 13:29.75) will also push McNeill for the title.
*Chelanga has stated that he has entered the 5000m as a bit of “fun”, and will concentrate his efforts on winning the 10000m title in Oregon.
Ryan Foster (Penn State) – Men’s 800m
Semi Final: Wednesday, June 9, Final: Friday, June 11
Foster started out 2010 with Australian Indoor records in both the 800m and 1000m, although has struggled to replicate the form outdoors. Hi season’s best over 800m was actually set indoors (1.47.32), while outdoors Foster has managed a SB of 1.47.78 when 6th at the Stanford Invitational in early May. The favourite for the title will again be Andrew Wheating (Oregon), who is the defending champion and owns an impressive PB of 1.45.03 (when placing 2nd at the 2008 USA Championships). Many experts also believe that Robby Andrews (Virginia) has a big enough kick to upset Wheating, and enters the Championships with a PB of 1.46.87 – achieved when qualifying for the finals in Oregon.Zoe Buckman (Oregon) – Women’s 1500m
Semi Final: Thursday, June 10, Final: Saturday, June 12
Buckman has had an interesting 2010, that has seen her focus her attentions on the 1500m after being more of an 800m specialist. Travelled back to Australia in April to place 3rd at the National Championships (recording a 4.18.58), but has actually run a 4.12.80 over 1500m in 2010 – achieved when placing 2nd at Oregon Preview meeting back in March. Buckman has run under 4.17.00 on three occasions this season, and has also run a 2.05.51 over 800m.
Track and Field News “only” has Buckman ranked at no.5 for the final, although in an open event many expect that Buckman could come away with at least a medal from the Championships. The favorites for the event include Charlotte Browning (Florida), Brenda Martinez (UC Riverside) and Katie Follett (Washington). 22 year-old Browning (from Great Britain) has run 4.13.96 over 1500m in 2010, and is also a quality cross country athlete – placing 4th at the 2009 European XC Championships. On the other hand Martinez boasts an impressive PB over 1500m of 4.09.52 (and has also run 2.00.85 for 800m) – although these PB’s were both run in 2009 (SB in 2010 – 4.18.20). Finally Follett has recorded a 4.10.66 in 2010, and was narrowly beaten by Buckman at the recent PAC-10 Championships (4.15.95 to 4.16.00). In the end it should be a very competitive final with many chances included in the field.
Track and Field News “only” has Buckman ranked at no.5 for the final, although in an open event many expect that Buckman could come away with at least a medal from the Championships. The favorites for the event include Charlotte Browning (Florida), Brenda Martinez (UC Riverside) and Katie Follett (Washington). 22 year-old Browning (from Great Britain) has run 4.13.96 over 1500m in 2010, and is also a quality cross country athlete – placing 4th at the 2009 European XC Championships. On the other hand Martinez boasts an impressive PB over 1500m of 4.09.52 (and has also run 2.00.85 for 800m) – although these PB’s were both run in 2009 (SB in 2010 – 4.18.20). Finally Follett has recorded a 4.10.66 in 2010, and was narrowly beaten by Buckman at the recent PAC-10 Championships (4.15.95 to 4.16.00). In the end it should be a very competitive final with many chances included in the field.Heidi Gregson (Iona College) – Women’s 1500m
The 20 year-old Gregson has had a standout year in 2010, which has included PB’s in the mile (indoors) – 4.40.08, 1500m – 4.19.14 (when qualifying for the NCAA Championships) and 800m – 2.07.10. Placed 10th at the NCAA Indoor Championships this year in the women’s mile, and will enter the 1500m finals in Oregon hoping to also place in the top-10.Julian Wruck (Texas Tech) – Men’s Discus Throw
Final: Wednesday, June 9
It has been an impressive year for the junior discus star. Not only has the 19 year-old Wruck qualified for the NCAA Championships but he will also represent Australia at the 2010 World Junior Championships next month and the Commonwealth Games in October. In early January Wruck threw the 1.75kg discus 61.69m, but even more impressively he improved his PB with the senior discus (2kg) to 61.02m – a distance that could easily be enough to take home the NCAA title.
Wruck said recently “I am very confident heading into Oregon and believe that if I throw well, I can win”. Wruck went onto say that he believed that a young thrower from Kansas, Mason Finley, was his biggest threat for the title. Finley, who is also 19 years-old, owns a PB with the 2kg discus of 60.18m, but it is also interesting to note that Finley owns an impressive PB of 65.34m with the 1.75kg discus (which is also an American junior record).
Megan Wheatley (Nebraska) – Women’s Heptathlon
Final: Wednesday/Thursday June 9/10
22 year-old Wheatley has had an interrupted 2010 season, and enters the Championships with a modest SB of 5,341 points, which is 459 points behind her PB score of 5,800 points (set when she won the Big 12 Championships in 2009). The favourite for the event is Canadian Brianne Theisen, with the Oregon University student already posting two scores of over 5,900 points in 2010 (and is also the defending champion, winning in 2009 with a PB score of 6,086 points).
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