by Larry EderWe asked Roy Stevenson, one of our long time writers, to give us a day by day recap of the NCAA outdoor Champs. Here is his piece on Day 1. We will post Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 to give you a redux of the NCAA action!
2015 NCAA Track & Field Champs, Eugene, Oregon
By Roy Stevenson
Following a brand new program format of alternating men’s competition days (Wednesday & Friday) and women’s competition days (Thursday & Saturday), the 2015 NCAA Division I athletes unleashed their usual stellar performances. The new format did not seem to hinder the student athletes as they ran, jumped and threw their hearts out, registering some promising performances for the upcoming USA Championships to be held here in Eugene in two weeks’ time.
With most track semi-finals held on Wednesday & Thursday (the exception being the Men’s and Women’s 10,000 Meters Finals, and the Men’s & Women’s Hammer, Pole Vault, Javelin, Long Jump and Shot put), the Friday & Saturday all-finals programs promise to be non-stop, highly competitive extravaganzas.
Day One: Men’s Semi-Finals, Wednesday, June 9
Hot, dry, sunny.
Performing to an enthusiastic Eugene crowd of 9,627, the men’s semi-finals resulted in the usual tactical races, jumps, and throws, as the competitors jockeyed to qualify for their finals, while conserving their precious energy and without much giving away to their rivals.
Perhaps Trayvon Bromell (Baylor) wasn’t too concerned with keeping his speed much of a secret from the rest of the field, as he blitzed his 100M Semi in a windy 9.90 from Senoj-Jay Givans (Tex), in 10.03. A wind-aided 9.98 from Andre De Grasse (USC) was the second-fastest 100M of the day and the only other sprinter under 10 flat.
Short of a mid-race hamstring-strain, Bromell seems to have the 100M wrapped up, but the fight for second between Givans, De Grasse, and Kolby Kistenbee (TCU) will be awesome.
None of the quarter-milers gave much away as the top 8 qualifiers went under 46.0. Vernon Norwood (LSU) led the pack with 45.42 from Deon Lendore (Texas A&M), and Marcus Chambers (Oregon), both in 45.43 and Najee Glass (FL) and Ceo Ways (North Carolina), both in 45.49.
I’m predicting a sub 45 win in the final here, but I’m too canny to predict a winner out of a field with times this close.
Edward Kemboi (Iowa State) and Brandon Kidder (1:45.95) were the only sub 1:46 800M qualifiers, with considerable daylight back to Shaquille Walker (BYU) in 1:46.24, Collins Kibet (Arizona) in 1:47.11, Brandon McBride (Miss State) in 1:47.28, and Clayton Murphy (Akron) in 1:47.29.
Bromell also led the 100M field semis, with a 20.03, from Dedric Dukes (Florida), also with the same time.
Both 1500M semis were tactical jog and sprint affairs, although the second semi was 5 seconds faster than the first. David Elliott (Boise State) prevailed in the second semi in 3:40.44 over Blake Haney (Oregon) in 3:40.81, with John Gregorek (Oregon) third in 3:40.89. The first semi was won by Zach Perkins (Air Force) in 3:45.63 from Daniel Winn (Oregon) in 3:45.78.
With three well-trained ducks in the fields and Oregon’s proud metric miling tradition–and a rabid home crowd–the final is likely to be an Oregon-dominated affair with Elliott or Perkins as possible minor medalists.
The 3,000M Steeples was dominated by UTEP’s Anthony Rotich, who looked to be loping along at ¾ effort. His win (8:40.52) from Dylan Lafond (Illinois) in 8:41.11, and Zak Seddon (Florida State) in 8:41.12 looked easy. The second semi, only a couple of seconds slower, won by Stanley Kebenei (Arkansas) in 8:42.07 from Darren Fahy (Georgetown) in 8:42.24, set the stage for a great final on Friday between Rotich and Kebenei, with several others in close attendance.
The Men’s 10,000M was an exciting event for Duck fans with top seeded Edward Cheserek outsprinting teammate Eric Jenkins, 28:58.92 to 28:59.13. Jenkins made Cheserek work for his title, not conceding until Cheserek’s faster leg turnover down the home straight took him to victory. Cheserek’s last lap was 58.89 over Jenkin’s 59.35. BYU’s Jason Witt too a well-deserved third place in 29:04.58. S aid Cheserek, “I think it went well. I just tried to follow what coach asked us to do today. I was waiting for somebody to push it and I just wanted to sit back.”
Omar McLeod (Arkansas) won his 100M Hurdle semi in 13.08, a long way ahead of Oregon’s Johnathan Cabral, in 13.49.
Marquis Dendy (Florida) was top qualifier for the long jump with an 8.43m effort, and Jarrion Lawson (Arkansas) next in 8.34m.
Popular Duck, Sam Crouser, took the Javelin by more than 2 meters, with a 79.19m throw. “It feels really good,” said Crouser. “There’s a great competition out there”.
Jonathan Jones (Buffalo) took the Shot Put with a 20.78 throw over Penn State’s Darrell Hill, who threw exactly the same distance.
Friday’s men’s track finals are shaping up to be first class events, probably with the usual surprises and upsets.
