SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Mizzou Track & Field had two student-athletes qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on the first day of the NCAA West Preliminary Championships Thursday in Sacramento, Calif. Redshirt sophomore Sophia Rivera (Brentwood) and senior Becky Keating (Reading, England) each earned their first career trips to the NCAA meet with top-12 finishes in the javelin and hammer throw, respectively.
NOTABLE FINISHES
In the javelin, Rivera posted an 11th-place finish in the preliminary round of the javelin to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the first time in her career. She produced a mark of 49.19m (161-4) with her first throw to secure her trip to Austin. Rivera will also compete in the discus tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. CT.
With a 12th-place finish in the hammer throw, Keating advances the NCAA meet for the first time in her career as well, as she produced a mark of 61.50m (201-9). Keating sealed her trip to Austin by a mere centimeter, as she finished just ahead of Colorado State's Linnea Jonsson at 61.49m (201-9).
In first round heats on the track, Mizzou had three runners advance to quarterfinals races, as redshirt sophomore Karina Liz (Aurora, Ill.), sophomore Nylo Clarke (Riverside, Mo.) and freshman Martin Prodanov (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) each advanced in the 800m run, 400m dash and 1500m run, respectively. Liz was Mizzou's top finisher on the day, as she finished second in heat six and eighth overall at 2:06.13. Clarke finished third in heat six and 14th overall at 46.61, while Prodanov finished fifth in heat one and 19th overall at 3:46.32 to advance. Liz will run in the 800m run quarterfinals on Friday at 8:30 p.m. CT, while Clarke will run in the 400m dash quarterfinals on Friday at 7:45 p.m. CT and Prodanov will in the 1500m run quarterfinals on Saturday at 8:45 p.m. CT.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will continue with the second day of the NCAA West Preliminary Championships on Friday, as field events are slated to begin at 2 p.m. CT and track events 6:30 p.m. CT. Mizzou will have three student-athletes competing in field events and four in track events.
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MIZZOU RESULTS - TRACK EVENTS
100m Dash, Men – 31. Nylo Clarke, 10.49 (W: 0.9) // 40. Jayson Ashford, 10.58 (W: 0.8)
100m Dash, Women – 39. Maya Cody, 11.87
400m Dash, Men – 14. Nylo Clarke, 46.61 Q
800m Run, Women – 8. Karina Liz, 2:06.13 Q
1500m Run, Men – 19. Martin Prodanov, 3:46.32 Q
10,000m Run, Women – 30. Jordyn Kleve, 34:52.67
400m Hurdles, Women – 42. Morgan O'Neal, 1:03.68
MIZZOU RESULTS - FIELD EVENTS
Long Jump, Men – 25. Ja'Mari Ward, 7.27m (23-10.25)
Hammer Throw, Men – 15. Avery Carter, 63.61m (208-8) // 35. Patrick Kunza, 58.93m (193-4)
Hammer Throw, Women – 12. Becky Keating, 61.50m (201-9) q // Jordan McClendon, FOUL
Javelin, Women – 11. Sophia Rivera, 49.19m (161-4) q // 20. Ava Curry, 46.08m (151-2) // 47. Allie Webb, 37.74m (123-10)
