There are four former Rice track and field athletes competing at the USATF Championships, being held in Des Moines, IA through Sunday.

Thursday, June 20

Callie Wells Thomas will compete in the first round of the 1500 meters. That will take place at 4:40 p.m. The finals are scheduled for Saturday at 4:46 p.m. (yes -- 4:46).

Ari Ince will compete in the FINALS of the women's javelin. That event to start at 6:15 p.m.

Friday, June 21 - Saturday, June 22

Ryan Harlan will be in the Decathlon. Events on Friday begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday and at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Saturday, June 22

Funmi Jimoh will compete in the FINALS of the long jump. That event to begin at 3:15 p.m.

RESULTS

WRC -- Is Jason Colwick still competing in pole vault these days?

(06-20-2013 03:10 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  WRC -- Is Jason Colwick still competing in pole vault these days?

At times. Not at a high level recently.

The top 3 finishers with "A" standards will compete for the USA at the World Track & Field Championships, to be held this year in Moscow, Russia, from August 10-18.

Funmi Jimoh is tied for 3rd in the WORLD in the long jump right now, and is the #3 American, behind Brittney Reese and Janay Deloach Soukup.

Ari Ince is the #8 American in the javelin, entering this competition.

58.73 192-8 Brittany Borman (Nik) New York DL 05/25
56.03 183-10 **Brianna Bain (Stan) Big Meet 04/20
54.97 180-4 Kimberley Hamilton (Nik) Lisle 06/08
54.39 178-5 -Jenna Higgins (MtMer) Drake R Univ 04/26
54.02 177-3 **Lauren Kenney (PennSt) NCAA East 05/25
53.88 176-9 *Laura Loht (PennSt) NCAA 06/05
53.86 176-8 Leigh Petranoff (T1D) Lisle 06/08
53.64 176-0 Ari Ince (unat) TxSt Bobcat Cl 04/27
52.97 173-9 ***Elizabeth Herrs (Ok) Arkansas Inv 03/30
52.75 173-0 Paige Blackburn (AFS) Seminole Twi 05/03

Callie, who has been fighting an injury for the past couple of months, does not advance.

Ari finishes SECOND in the javelin!!!

Her 2nd place mark was 56.66 meters. In order to go to Moscow, she'll need to throw 62.00 meters (the "A" standard).

(06-20-2013 08:28 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Her 2nd place mark was 56.66 meters. In order to go to Moscow, she'll need to throw 62.00 meters (the "A" standard).

Congrats to Ari!

Even the winner (Borman, 60.91m) didn't reach the "A" standard today. Were conditions difficult for good distance? Or are American women just not world-class competitive?

Americans aren't great in the women's javelin but that does seem to be a very tough A standard. Only 9 people bettered it in the 2012 Olympic qualifying round, and only 6 ladies did better than that (205 feet) in the Olympic finals.

I was able to witness Valerie Tulloch's Rice record in the javelin (which I want to say from memory was about 190 feet at the Texas Relays?) and that throw seemed to go on forever at a field down the road from the football stadium. I can't imagine how hard it would be to improve almost 5 1/2 more meters for Ince. But regardless, that's a pretty nice accomplishment to get 2nd.

Jimoh gets third so that means she'll be on the World Championship team for USA later this summer in Russia (she already has the A standard). Brittney Reese (the 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist) had three fouls. Unless there is some sort of waiver rule in place for Reese, I assume at least that Jimoh makes it on the USA team (since all three of the top finishers have passed the A standard). That will be her third straight time at the World Championships, which is pretty darn impressive.

BTW, Reese apparently has been battling a hip flexor injury but she will still be allowed to compete in Moscow as the two-time reigning world champ. But as near as I can figure, four Americans will be allowed to compete in that event in August.

(06-23-2013 10:00 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  BTW, Reese apparently has been battling a hip flexor injury but she will still be allowed to compete in Moscow as the two-time reigning world champ. But as near as I can figure, four Americans will be allowed to compete in that event in August.

All defending world champions automatically have a berth in the World Championships, whether or not they compete in their respective national championships. Those countries get four entrants (assuming all have met the "A" standard for the particular event).