University of Oregon
Oregon Relays
Waiting Wheating Wrecks Record
05/01/10 | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. -- Just a few hours before the calendar turned to May, Andrew Wheating made his 2010 home debut.
It was well worth the wait for the 6,732 in attendance Friday night at the Oregon Relays at Hayward Field.
The senior from Norwich, Vt., broke the meet record in the 1,500 meters by nearly three seconds in winning in 3:37.83 and turned in the fastest 1,500 time in the NCAA this season.
In typical Wheating fashion, he lurked way in the back of the field for almost the entire race, as New Mexico's Lee Emanual looked to be pulling away. Wheating started moving up on the field with 250 meters to go, and then thundered off the Bowerman Curve to blow past Emanual on the homestretch and win going away.
"It was very refreshing," said Wheating, who moved to No. 4 on the UO 1,500 meter list. "Coming off the Penn Relays we talked strategy and to be patient; that is the biggest word I ever say.
"After 100 meters, I kicked into gear," said Wheating. "I had a lot left and at 400 meters Lee (Emanuel) pushed the pace. It's a PR and I wanted that record real bad."
"Andrew Wheating had a good finish and a good race plan," said Oregon Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna. "I am glad he waited until the last second (to kick). It was a good race for him; it is tough to come out after such a long trip."
The Oregon Track Club Elite's Will Leer went with Wheating and finished in second in 3:38.68. Emanuel, the 2010 indoor mile NCAA champion, was third in 3:38.79 and Oregon junior A.J. Acosta was fourth in a personal-best 3:39.44.
In all, six runners went faster than Dub Myers' 1986 meet record of 3:40.76.
"I am starting to come around to the mile race," said Wheating. "I absolutely love it."
The Relays also saw wins by Ducks in the men's 100 meters, and the women's 200 meter and 10,000 meters, as well as career performances in the women's 1,500 and 5,000 meters.
Keshia Baker and Mandy White led a 1-2 Oregon finish in the women's 200 meters. Baker ran a season-best 23.80, while White clocked a personal best 24.08. That time put White, a junior from Lake Oswego, Ore., in a tie for 10th with Debbie Adams on the UO all-time top 10.
"I felt good, I'm really tired," said White. "We've been working hard and had a tough workout yesterday.
"The crowd was good but I really tried and focused on our technique and getting out strong and finishing strong," said White.
Football players LaMichael James and Talmadge Jackson III collected a 1-2 finish in the men's 100 meters. James matched his season best in 10.90, with Jackson second in 11.22. Both will be on the gridiron tomorrow for Oregon's spring football game.
"My technique is coming along, but I am still running like I have the ball in my hands," said James. "I need to run with my arms more. It will come back to me in time. Next week when it's all track practice, it will be better."
In the last race of the night, sophomore Bronwyn Crossman won the 10,000 meters in 35:28.85.
"I thought it went well, better than I thought it would have gone," said Crossman. "I like training where we run lots of miles, those are the races I like because I have no speed."
The women's 5,000 meters featured a commanding return performance from OTC Elite's Lauren Fleshman and a breakout run by UO junior Alex Kosinski. Fleshman, coming back from a foot injury that sidelined her for nearly two years, won in 15:42.46 to hit the world "A" standard.
Kosinski was with her until the last lap and turned in the eighth-fastest 5,000 in school history in 15:57.83. UO senior Mattie Bridgmon was third in 16:17.65 with junior Claire Michel fourth in a personal-best 16:18.18.
"I was hanging out around the back, and then the coaches told me to lead the race," said Kosinski. "I died on the last lap."
In the women's 1,500 meters Jemma Simpson of OTC Elite won in 4:12.72, with Sarah Bowman of New Balance second in 4:13.02 and Oregon's Jordan Hasay third in 4:17.37. Freshman Becca Friday was fourth in a personal best 4;24.58,
"I feel good," said Hasay. "I have been doing recovery time, this was a workout run. I am looking forward to the Pac-10s and NCAAs. I was trying to hang on and that is what I did. I am proud of it."
In other action, sophomore Rebecca Rhodes jumped a personal-best 19-4 in a runner-up finish in the women's long jump. Brianne Theisen was third at 19-2.75.
Sophomore Brian Schaudt took men's second in the triple jump in a seasonal best 48-9.
Nick Atwood, running unattached, ran away with the Bill McChesney, Jr., 5,000 meters in 14:03.98.
Former Duck and two-time NCAA champion Rachel Yurkovich won the women's javelin with a throw of 177-9.
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