University of Oregon
Oregon Relays
Hostetler Grabs National Lead in the Javelin
05/01/10 | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. -- Cyrus Hostetler grabbed the national lead in the men's javelin and Andrew Wheating, Danny Marconi and Ashton Eaton won exciting competitions in the men's 800 meters, high jump and 110 hurdles, respectively, Saturday at the Oregon Relays, presented by Oregon Community Credit Union.
Oregon also collected wins in the men's 400 meters by Chad Barlow and 400 meter hurdles by David Klech, and the women's 100 meter hurdles by Brianne Theisen and high jump by Jasmine Kelly.
"We accomplished what we needed to accomplish," said Oregon Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna. "Nothing extraordinary today but I was glad Cyrus (Hostetler) opened up. I told you after the UCLA meet that we had the makings for men's and women's national championship teams.
"I feel pretty good with all of the kids right now," said Lananna. "Travis Thompson, we were just waiting for a breakout race from him. Marconi really looked great against UCLA and I'm glad he's over the 7-foot barrier."
Making his 2010 season debut, Hostetler needed just three throws to pass Sam Humphreys of Texas A&M for the NCAA lead. His winning throw of 256-6, which came on his third attempt, thrilled the Hayward Field crowd of 7,036 and was nearly five feet beyond Humphreys' 251-8. UO junior Alex Wolff took second at 228-2.
"It's fun to be back," said Hostetler, a senior from Newberg, Ore. "I woke up at about 8 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. But once I got out here, I was really relaxed. Warming up and hearing Marconi hit 7-2 and the crowd cheering really got me pumped. The weather broke nicely for us and I knew it was going to be a great day.
"Breaking 70 (meters) is a big thing, especially after an ACL and MCL tear," said Hostetler. "I'm really happy, God smiled on me today."
Wheating capped a double at the Oregon Relays by taking the 800 meters in 1:47.71. Like he did a night ago in winning the 1,500 meters, the senior from Norwich, Vt., patiently waited back in the pack. Saturday, he began moving up with about 300 meters remaining, and then turned on the afterburners off the Boweman Curve and galloped down the homestretch to clip teammate Travis Thompson by .23.
Wheating finished in 1:47.71, which was the third fastest time in the nation this season. Thompson, a junior from Newport, Ore., lowered his PR by more than a second in finishing in 1:47.94. That time was the eighth-fastest in the NCAA this season and the 10th-fastest in school history. Freshman Elijah Greer made it a 1-2-3 Oregon sweep in the 800 in 1:48.09, which was the No. 9 time in the NCAA this season.
"I haven't won a strong 800 meters," said Wheating. "It bodes well for our team and our national team to have my teammates right behind me."
Marconi provided fireworks early in the meet by breaking the 7-0 barrier in the high jump for the first time his career. The sophomore from Klamath Falls, Ore., cleared 7-2.25 on his third attempt. That clearance ranked fourth on the Oregon career top-10 list and was tied for 12th nationally this season.
"I have been waiting for the 7-foot mark for a long time," said Marconi. "I hit the 7-foot mark in practice so I was excited to see what I could do today.
"Looking at a bar that high is a little intimidating, I mean it is taller than a doorway."
Eaton tied the meet record in the 110 meter hurdles in running 13.68 into a headwind. That time was a legal personal-best for the senior from Bend, Ore., and was also the third-fastest in school history. That time was also the eighth-fastest in the NCAA this season and tied Rod Jett's 1992 Oregon Relays record.
Puskedra opened the meet for Oregon by winning the men's 10,000 meters in 29:30.20. Duck junior Diego Mercado took second in a season-best 29:52.04, while junior Danny Mercado was third on 30:01.47.
"After 5K, I slipped into tempo pace," said Puskedra, a sophomore from Ogden, Utah. "It felt good to run the first race and get first."
Barlow, a senior from Ft. Collins, Colo., ran a season-best 47.04 to win the men's 400 meters, while Klech, a junior from San Ramon, Calif., won the men's 400 meter hurdles in 51.31.
Theisen, a junior from Humboldt, Sask., won the women's 100 meter hurdles in 13.61, while Kelly, a senior from Vancouver, Wash., took the high jump in a jump off at 5-6.
The women's 4x400 meter relay team of Camilla Dencer, Alexandria Davidson, Lyndsay Pearson and Brianne Theisen won in 3:41.88.
Also for the Ducks, Zoe Buckman and Becca Friday ran seasonal-bests in the women's 800 meters. Buckman was fourth in 2:07.48, while Friday had a PR in 2:08.44 to take fifth.
In the pole vault, junior Jordan Roskelley cleared a season-best 13-0.25 to place third in the women's competition, while Colin Witter-Tilton was the runner-up in the men's vault at 17-0.
Jordan Stray was the runner-up in the men's hammer at 215-5. Idaho's James Rogan won in a season-best 221-7.
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