Pac-12 Championships Quotes
05/12/12 | Track and Field
1st Place Men's Shot Put - Jordan Clarke (ASU)
On winning the event…
“I had a good warm-up. The beginning of the competition I was a little off and rushed. Towards the end I found my groove. There was good competition, good weather, and the crowd was great.”
On his training…
“I had a lighter week this week. The last few meets I have been very consistent. I should have a pretty good season.”
On competing at Hayward Field…
“This is the third time here. The crowd is absolutely wonderful. It is my favorite place to compete. It's a nice warm-up to the Olympic Trials in June.”
1st Place Men's 400 Meter Dash Heat 2 - Bryshon Nellum (USC)
On his recovery…
“I went through three surgeries and took three years to recover. This is the healthiest I've been in 5 years. Support from my team has helped me progress and get healthy. It's great to have them to keep me going.”
On his race…
“It feels great to be back. I can't even explain it. I'm ready to be back competing. I've been through ups and downs but I never really doubted myself.”
1st Place Women's 1,500 Meters Heat 2 – Jessica Tebo (Colorado)
On preference between 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters…
“5,000 meters is my best event by far, it has a lot to do with how we train and Colorado and the techniques that we work on.”
On game plan for two finals tomorrow (Sunday, May 13, 2012)
“Tonight my coaches and I will look at film and come up with a game plan for tomorrow's race. Whoever wins is sure going to have to work hard to get it, the 1,500 [meters] is a strong field this year.”
1st Place Women's Javelin – Brianna Bain (Stanford)
On competing at Hayward Field…
“It's nice to come out here I like it a lot.”
“I haven't had the best throws at Hayward up until now so that was nice to have some good ones here before the trials.”
On her throws today…
“There was a slight headwind today. I wasn't looking for a huge PR but I got one so that was great.”
“I had a really good series today. I don't think I threw under 51 meters. It was my best series all year.”
On competing in the Olympic Trials in June…
“I am just going to do my best. I am doing it for the experience.”
1st Place Men's 400 Meter Dash – Mike Berry (Oregon)
On his race…
“It was good. I just did what my coach told me to do and it worked out.”
On how he felt before the race…
“I was excited. It was hard to sleep last night. I wanted to get out there and compete, win my heat and get a good place for the finals.”
1st Place Women's 400 Meter Dash heat 3 - Chizoba Okodogbe (Oregon)
On weather…
“All our coaches had a basic game plan to deal with this different weather…we just wanted to make sure and I went out there hard, but still had enough left in the tank so that I was competitive in tomorrow's final.”
On team aspect in track and field…
“I love the team aspect that we have here at Oregon, we all make sure that we carry each other. It's not ONE person's job to win the meet us, we are all crucial in winning.”
2nd Place Men's 100 Meter Dash Heat 3 – Dior Mathis (Oregon)
On running track…
“It's nice out here today, it's hot. I ran fast. Track is cool.”
On his time of 10.49…
“It was a personal best ever for me. It was my best collegiate run so far. I haven't run that fast since high school. I am very proud of myself. It is one of the proudest track meets of my life. It shows me that I'm going to have a good football season this year.”
On how track translates onto the football field…
“It translates a lot. It boosts my confidence tremendously.”
On competing against other track athletes…
“It's great. These guys are future Olympic athletes so to compete with them is great for us [football players].”
5th Place in Heat 3, 7th Overall – Amber Purvis (Oregon)
On being back…
“I've been injured and struggling with disks in my back for quite some time. I'm just happy to be out here getting points for my team.”
On her race…
“My pride's a little hurt by my time. But it's my first race. I'm a little sore and not 100% recovered. It was all about going out there and running my fastest.”
On running with English Gardner…
“What made me more nervous was running next to someone I know and who is really good at starts.”
1st Place Men's 800 Meter Run - Elijah Greer (Oregon)
On the hot weather in Eugene...
"It was a hot day and it felt nice to have some sun in Eugene. I poured water on my head before the race to deal with the heat."
On the plan for the race...
"The mission was go to 1-2 with Russell (Hornsby) in my heat. I wanted to be in striking position and I kicke it up the last 100-150 meters."
1st Place Men's Pole Vault - JJ Juilfs (Washington)
On being back in Eugene...
"It was comforting. I love all the people here and it's great to be back. People I grew up with are here to cheer me on."
On preparing for his jump...
"It's a cumination of a lot of hard work. I do a lot of things throughout the year that just make me better. I just tried to come in with a clear mind."
5th Place Men's Pole Vault - Austin Ouderkirk (Oregon)
On his jump...
"It went well. 16'10"--I pr'd by an inch on my thrid attempt. There was great competetion. I'm very happy with it."
On how he felt before his jump...
"I was a little nervous. But when I hear my fans clapping, it felt good. My mom was very excited."
1st Place Women's 800 Meter Run Heat 3 - Rebecca Friday (Oregon)
On the race...
"The race went well. I did what I needed to do. I am going home and going to rest up for tomorrow."
On almost losing first place in the last 100 meters...
"I wasn't going to risk not having a place for the finals."
On the heat in Eugene...
"We knew it would be a nice weekend. We aren't treating it any different than any other weekend here at Hayward except drinking more water."
On racing in the finals for the 1500 Meter Run and the 800 Meter Run tomorrow...
"I am just going to focus on each race at a time."
1st Place Women's 800 Meters Heat 1 - Claudia Francis (Oregon)
On race...
"I was extremely happy with my time out there, you can never complain when you get a personal record. I hope to bring the same intensity tomorrow during the finals."
On game plan during race...
"I just ran with the intenstions to get through to tomorrow. I wanted to make sure I made it to the finals and still had a little bit left in the tank to try and win tomorrow."
1st Place Women's 800 Meters - Laura Roesler (Oregon)
On the team aspect...
"We all go out there knowing what we have to do individually to better the team as a whole, that's what is so great about Oregon. We ALL want to win together, raher than individually."
On race strategy...
"I basically went out there and gave it my all so that I could set myself up well for tomorrow's final. I am happy with my race."
1st Place Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase - Shalaya Kipp (Colorado)
On her race...
"I slowly started pulling away and was just listening for my splits. I had the Oregon girls with me for awhile and once I started pulling away my splits got a little faster."
On what she's looking forward to in the future...
"I'm looking forward to Regionals in Austin."
2nd Place Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase - Kimber Mattox (Oregon)
On her race...
"It was an exciting race to run. Everyone is doing a great job in all the events. It's a great team to be a part of."
3rd Place Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase - Melanie Thompson (Oregon)
On her health...
"I'm totally healthy now. I knew I'm fit for the 15, so hopefully I'll be fit for the 3k in a few weeks."
1st Place Men's Javelin - Sam Crouser (Oregon)
On throws...
"I just went out there and tried to stay aggresive on the runway, I just wanted to get going early and stay consistent throughout all my throws."
On finish...
"After that last throw I know I have a lot more to show off, hopefully I can keep this momentum and take it into West Regionals."
On last throw...
"I knew as soon as I let it go, that it had the chance to be the one to catapult me into the lead. By the third throw I got my legs underneath me and threw it like I knew I could."
5th Place Men's 200 Meter Dash Heat 3 - De'Anthony Thomas (Oregon)
On goals for the day...
"I just wanted to go out there and improve my time personally and just contribute to the team in any way that I can. It's all about going out there and trying to win this thing, that's why we compete."
On strategy for tomorrow...
"We came out here to win, that's what we are going to try and do tomorrow. We are all going to give it our 100%"
1st Place Women's 200 Meter Dash Heat 2 and 1st Place Women's 100 Meter Dash Heat 3 - English Gardner (Oregon)
On running the 100 meter...
"I had some goals in mind. I didn't expect to run that fast in the 100 but I'm happy about the time and feel good."
On Oregon's performance in the Pac-12 Championships...
"Oregon is a team. We will do whatever we need to do to get the points we need."
On her performance overall today...
"I feel great, I am on top of the world."
On running the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash and relay tomorrow...
"It's the first time I'll do all three events in one day. I'm not worried, I think I can handle all three."
1st Place Women's 10,000 Meter - Alex Kosinski (Oregon)
On coming back...
"It was really great. I was so excited to come back for another year and have another chance to run at Oregon."
On her race...
"My coach said I couldn't make a move until there was a mile left so I was just waiting. I like longer races because I can be calm. I wanted to separate the last mile and just enjoy this run at with the Pac-12."
Oregon Head Coach Vin Lananna
On the first day...
"Our goal was to set ourselves up well for tomorrow and not focus too hard on winning today, per say. I am happy with the way that the women and the men set themselves up, tomorrow will be fun."
On Alex Kosinski...
"I am so proud of her, she went out and ran hard. It was huge for her and the other two girls to score for our team."
On philopsophy for the day...
"We wanted to start the fire for tomorrow, we started hot and finished hot. I am happy with the way the Oregon track and field team competed today."
Players Mentioned
