Eaton Punches Ticket for World Championships
EUGENE, Ore. -- Ashton Eaton and Amber Purvis earned spots on Team USA in their respective championships, while Keshia Baker continued to march on through the semifinals of the women’s 400 meters Friday at the USA Track and Field Championships, held at Historic Hayward Field.
Meanwhile, Brianne Theisen earned a spot on Team Canada by winning the heptathlon at her national championships in Toronto.
Before a Hayward Field crowd of 9,143, Trey Hardee finished first in the decathlon with 8,261 points, followed by Eaton, the two-time defending NCAA champion, with 8,075 points. Jake Arnold was third with 7,984 points.
"On the final stretch of the 1,500 meters, I just started to soak it all in and celebrate with the crowd," said Eaton. "I’m glad I’m not a senior yet because it’s so fun to compete in front of this crowd."
Eaton opened his day by finishing second in the 110 hurdles in 14.03. He then just missed a PR in the discus with a toss of 135-7, which ranked seventh in the competition. He cleared 14-9 in the pole vault before throwing 168-10 in the javelin.
The junior from Bend, Ore., locked up his trip to the IAAF World Championships in Berlin by finishing in third in the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:35.45.
Eaton joins Galen Rupp, who will run at 10,000 meters, as the University’s representatives on Team USA’s contingent for the world championships.
"I’ve never been to Germany," said Eaton. "It will definitely be the biggest meet I’ve ever been in. I’m excited to move on to Worlds and learn as much as possible and just experience it all."
A third Duck also qualified for the Berlin games on Friday, though she will be representing Team Canada.
Theisen won the heptathlon title at the Canadian Track and Field Championships by scoring 5,847 points to defeat Susan Coltman, who scored 5,710 points.
The sophomore from Humboldt, Sask., matched her personal best in the long jump with a leap of 19-8.75. The 2009 NCAA heptathlon champion won the 100 meter hurdles (13.84), the 200 meters (24.40) and the javelin (138-9) and was second in the high jump (5-8), 800 meters (2:18.73) and long jump. Theisen also had a shot put of 37-1.
Back stateside, freshman Amber Purvis earned a trip to the Pan American Junior Games in Trinidad by finishing second in the women’s junior 100 meters. She ran a wind-aided 11.42, trailing only Chalonda Goodman, who won the race in 11.19.
"I felt really good," said Purvis. "I didn’t really get a good start but I pushed myself through."
Purvis matched what she ran earlier Friday in winning her semifinal heat. In that wind-legal opening round effort, the Hercules, Calif., native missed her own school record in that by .01.
Keshia Baker moved on to Sunday’s final of the women’s 400 meters. The junior from Sacramento, Calif., was fourth in her heat in 52.10.
"I came out hard today and really tried to be quicker through the back stretch," said Baker. "With about 120 meters left to go I saw that I was in fifth and I knew only the top four advanced so I just gave it everything I had. God was with me today and I’m moving on to the final."
Nicole Blood ran a personal-best 15:38.61 to finish seventh in the women’s 5,000 meters. The four second PR kept the junior from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in fourth place on the Oregon career list, and was less than a second out of the Ducks’ top three.
"I’m happy with my PR and finishing seventh, but I’m not happy with having all those people pass me the last three laps," said the 2009 NCAA runner-up. "That’s something I’m going to focus on for next year -- my kick.
"I had bigger goals, but at the same time I’m not at all disappointed with the way this season. went"
In the men’s 5,000 meters, senior Scott Wall finished 19th in 14:15.63.
Former Duck Eric Mitchum finished second in his heat of the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.37 to advance to Saturday’s semifinals.
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