University of Oregon
NCAA Championships
Eaton, Rains Reign at NCAA Championships
06/11/09 | Track and Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Defending NCAA champion Ashton Eaton set an NCAA meet record by scoring 4,367 points to take a 229-point lead after the first day of the decathlon Wednesday at the 2009 NCAA Track and Field Championships.
Defending NCAA Champion Rachel Yurkovich and fellow All-Americans Andrew Wheating and Zoe Buckman also advanced on Wednesday afternoon.
And then the rains came.
The meet was stopped at 7:02 p.m. Central Time as a storm front drenched John McDonnell Field for more than three hours before the meet resumed at 10:15 p.m. locally.
Prior to the weather, Eaton was busy rewriting the NCAA and his own personal record book.
The junior from Bend, Ore. set an NCAA meet record in the 400 meters, running 48.33, as well as setting a personal best in winning the decathlon's 100 meters in 10.35 with a plus 4.1 tailwind.
However, Eaton's record day one score didn't come without some nervous moments for the Oregon faithful.
After scratching on his first two long jump attempts, Eaton needed a legal mark in order to keep his hopes of a repeat win alive.
"I had a similar experience last year at Pac-10s so it didn't really bother me that much," said Eaton. "I knew I just had to move back and check my mark.
"I jumped really hard because I knew I wasn't going to hit the board."
He not only found the sand legally, but won the event with a leap of 24-10.5.
"I'm glad he wasn't nervous; I was nervous enough for both of us," said Oregon associate director of track and field Dan Steele. "That's pretty high stakes."
Chasing Eaton was Trinity Otto of Texas A&M with 4,138 points and Moritz Cleve of Kansas State with 4,131 points.
Meanwhile, Oregon's Marshall Ackley set PR's in all five decathlon events.
The Nyssa, Ore., native went 11.01 in the 100 meters, 22-0.25 in the long jump, 40-3.5 in the shot put, 6-0.5 in the high jump and 48.33 in the 400 meters for a total score of 3,802 points that had him 17th overall.
"There's something about competing with all these amazing athletes," said Ackley. "It's been fun going out and just competing."
Oregon's other defending champion, Yurkovich, has little trouble advancing to Friday's final in the women's javelin. She hit the automatic standard with an effort of 178-3 on her second attempt.
"I don't mind the rain," said Yurkovich. "There was no breeze so my javelin was dying.
"Not Oregon weather at all. I'm glad I got out of there when I did."
In first round action from the track, Wheating breezed to Friday's semifinals in the men's 800 meters by winning his heat in 1:49.41.
Buckman also advanced to Friday's semifinal in the women's 800 meters with a third-place finish in her heat in 2:05.46.
In the men's long jump, Vernell Warren just missed a PR with a leap of 24-11.25, which was good for 20th overall, but was not among the 12 individuals who advanced to Friday's final, which may ultimately prove to be one of the most difficult fields of the 2009 Championships. It took a leap of 25-6 just to make the top 12 and advance.
After the weather delay, Jamesha Youngblood wasted no time in breaking her own school record on her first and only attempt in the women's long jump. She was the top qualifier for Thursday's final with a leap of 21-5.25.
"I feel really good and I'm happy," said Youngblood. "I feel like a superstar."
Keshia Baker won her preliminary heat in the women's 400 meters in 53.12 to advance to Friday's semifinals. Chad Barlow was fifth in his men's 400 meters preliminary heat in 47.15 and did not advance.
Claire Michel broke her own school record by nearly 10 seconds to advance to Friday's final in the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase. She was sixth in her heat in 10:13.56.
Chris Winter placed sixth in his semifinal of the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase in 8:45.87 and advanced to Friday's final.
Melissa Gergel advanced in the women's pole vault with a clearance at 13-5.25. She was one of 10 vaulters to clear that bar and move on to Friday's final.
Just before midnight, Nicole Blood won her semifinal of the women's 5,000 meters in 16:15.38 as she moved on to Friday's final.
And in the final event, which concluded at 1:09 a.m. Central time, Galen Rupp and Shadrack Biwott advanced to Friday's final. Rupp was fourth in 13:59.26, while Biwott ran fifth in 13:59.93.
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