Photo by: Kirby Lee
Theisen-Eaton Proves Her Medal
08/13/16 | Track and Field
RIO DE JANEIRO – Oregon alum Brianne Theisen-Eaton earned her place in Oregon history by becoming an Olympic medalist in the heptathlon Saturday at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio.
Winning the bronze, she becomes the first Duck Olympic women's medalist in an individual event since Lisa Martin won silver in the marathon for Australia in 1988.
Theisen-Eaton used an amazing second day to climb upon the medal stand and garner her first Olympic medal.
Coming into day two of the heptathlon in sixth place (3,829 points) and needing to make up ground, Theisen-Eaton began with a long jump of 21-3 on her second attempt, which was the fourth best mark of the day. She earned 1,001 points for that effort, which moved her up to fifth with 4,872 points.
Team Canada's shining star then moved into medal position with a throw of 155-4.5 in the javelin, which was good for 809 points. Her 5,681 points through six events was third overall and left her just 12 points ahead of Germany's Carolin Schafer for the bronze medal heading into the 800 meters.
Theisen cemented her medal position by running a season-best time of 2:09.50 in the 800 meters, which was third overall, to tally 972 points. She brought home bronze for Canada - and Oregon – with a final total of 6,653 points.
In the men's 10,000 meters, Galen Rupp ran a season-best 27:08.92 to finish fifth, missing out on a medal by less than three seconds. Rupp's teammate, Mo Farah of Great Britain won the gold in 27:05.17. Less than four seconds separated first through fifth place.
Also Saturday, English Gardner finished second in her semifinal in 10.90 to qualify for her first Olympic final, but got off to a slow start in the final and could not muster the same result. She placed seventh in 10.94.
In non-medal action on Saturday, UO alum Phyllis Francis ran the fastest 400 meters of the opening rounds. The four-time NCAA champion for Oregon won heat three in 50.58 to advance to Sunday's semifinals. She edged out Bahrain's Oluwakemi Adekoya, who set a national record for her country in 50.72 to place second behind Francis.
The track and field portion of 2016 Summer Olympics continues with a school-record 17 current and former Ducks in Rio (11 on Team USA, three for Canada, and one each for Australia, Greece and Guatemala). This is the 20th straight Olympiad that the University of Oregon has been represented, a streak that dates to the 1932 Games in Los Angeles.
Goducks.com will provide a daily Olympics version of "What to Watch," as well as a recap of Ducks in competition through the remainder of the Games.
What to Watch – Sunday, August 14
Following a flurry of action for the Ducks in Rio the first two days of track and field, Sunday is a fairly quiet day for current and former UO competitors.
Phyllis Francis will try to advance in the final in the star-studded semifinals of the women's 400 meters. She will run in heat one along with Stephanie Ann McPherson of Jamaica. Francis' U.S. teammates, Allyson Felix and Natasha Hastings, also advanced on Saturday.
Francis was a four-time NCAA Champion at Oregon who ran a personal-best 49.94 at the 2016 U.S. Championships, and was a member of Team USA's silver medal 4x400 meter relay squad at the 2015 IAAF World Championships. Francis is also in the U.S. 4x400 meter relay pool.
For the second straight Olympics, Australia's Zoe Buckman has advanced to the semifinals of the 1,500 meters. She'll look to take the next step to her first Olympic final on Sunday. Her 5:30 p.m. semifinal heat includes Americans Shannon Rowbury and Brenda Martinez, along with 2015 IAAF World silver medalist Faith Kipyegon of Kenya.
Schedule – Sunday, August 14
All times Pacific
4:35 p.m. Phyllis Francis (USA) Women's 400 Meters – Semifinal
5:30 p.m. Zoe Buckman (AUS) Women's 1,500 Meters – Semifinal
- www.GoDucks.com –
Winning the bronze, she becomes the first Duck Olympic women's medalist in an individual event since Lisa Martin won silver in the marathon for Australia in 1988.
Theisen-Eaton used an amazing second day to climb upon the medal stand and garner her first Olympic medal.
Coming into day two of the heptathlon in sixth place (3,829 points) and needing to make up ground, Theisen-Eaton began with a long jump of 21-3 on her second attempt, which was the fourth best mark of the day. She earned 1,001 points for that effort, which moved her up to fifth with 4,872 points.
Team Canada's shining star then moved into medal position with a throw of 155-4.5 in the javelin, which was good for 809 points. Her 5,681 points through six events was third overall and left her just 12 points ahead of Germany's Carolin Schafer for the bronze medal heading into the 800 meters.
Theisen cemented her medal position by running a season-best time of 2:09.50 in the 800 meters, which was third overall, to tally 972 points. She brought home bronze for Canada - and Oregon – with a final total of 6,653 points.
In the men's 10,000 meters, Galen Rupp ran a season-best 27:08.92 to finish fifth, missing out on a medal by less than three seconds. Rupp's teammate, Mo Farah of Great Britain won the gold in 27:05.17. Less than four seconds separated first through fifth place.
Also Saturday, English Gardner finished second in her semifinal in 10.90 to qualify for her first Olympic final, but got off to a slow start in the final and could not muster the same result. She placed seventh in 10.94.
In non-medal action on Saturday, UO alum Phyllis Francis ran the fastest 400 meters of the opening rounds. The four-time NCAA champion for Oregon won heat three in 50.58 to advance to Sunday's semifinals. She edged out Bahrain's Oluwakemi Adekoya, who set a national record for her country in 50.72 to place second behind Francis.
The track and field portion of 2016 Summer Olympics continues with a school-record 17 current and former Ducks in Rio (11 on Team USA, three for Canada, and one each for Australia, Greece and Guatemala). This is the 20th straight Olympiad that the University of Oregon has been represented, a streak that dates to the 1932 Games in Los Angeles.
Goducks.com will provide a daily Olympics version of "What to Watch," as well as a recap of Ducks in competition through the remainder of the Games.
What to Watch – Sunday, August 14
Following a flurry of action for the Ducks in Rio the first two days of track and field, Sunday is a fairly quiet day for current and former UO competitors.
Phyllis Francis will try to advance in the final in the star-studded semifinals of the women's 400 meters. She will run in heat one along with Stephanie Ann McPherson of Jamaica. Francis' U.S. teammates, Allyson Felix and Natasha Hastings, also advanced on Saturday.
Francis was a four-time NCAA Champion at Oregon who ran a personal-best 49.94 at the 2016 U.S. Championships, and was a member of Team USA's silver medal 4x400 meter relay squad at the 2015 IAAF World Championships. Francis is also in the U.S. 4x400 meter relay pool.
For the second straight Olympics, Australia's Zoe Buckman has advanced to the semifinals of the 1,500 meters. She'll look to take the next step to her first Olympic final on Sunday. Her 5:30 p.m. semifinal heat includes Americans Shannon Rowbury and Brenda Martinez, along with 2015 IAAF World silver medalist Faith Kipyegon of Kenya.
Schedule – Sunday, August 14
All times Pacific
4:35 p.m. Phyllis Francis (USA) Women's 400 Meters – Semifinal
5:30 p.m. Zoe Buckman (AUS) Women's 1,500 Meters – Semifinal
- www.GoDucks.com –
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