By Lev Rourke
Oregon Decathlete Ashton Eaton, picking up an extra individual event in the Ducks’ quest for the national championship, long-jumped an unworldly 26-4 ½ lifetime best on Thursday at the NCAA West Regional meet in Austin, Texas. It was a PR by 7 inches and advanced him to the NCAA Finals in Eugene along with the other top 11 finishers.
Eaton has already qualified for the decathlon, to be held June 10-11. The long jump will be contested the final day of the nationals, Saturday, June 12.
As a bonus, in Round 6 teammate Vernell Warren jumped a PR 24-10 ½, moving from 13th to 9th in the final round to punch his ticket for Hayward Field as well.
There were actually four 26-foot jumpers in the meet. Eaton in fact finished 2nd in the competition, behind the 26-5 by freshman Marquise Goodwin of Texas. Goodwin set the national high school record in the event a year ago at Hayward Field. Two Nebraska jumpers finished 3rd and 4th and also surpassed 26 feet – Chris Phipps 26-3 ½, Nicholas Gordon 26-0.
Eaton’s previous lifetime best was 25-9 ¼, set last year. He also had jumped a wind-aided 25-10 ¼, at this year’s Texas Relays, in this same stadium.
The Ducks had a busy and mostly productive day.
In the evening’s final running events, Nicole Blood and Mattie Bridgmon finished in the top 10 in the women’s 10,000 meters to advance to Eugene, while Luke Puskedra got the final qualifying position in the men’s race, running 29:47 for 12th. Alfred Kipchumba of the University of Portland also qualified, in 10th. John Kosgei of Oklahoma State won the race in 29:36.55. The women’s 10k was won by the collegiate recordholder, Lisa Koll of Iowa State, in 34:23. Blood was 7th in 34:33, Bridgmon 9th in 34:34, Anita Campbell of Washington 11th in 34:39.
Lauren Zaludek of Oregon finished 36th, and Sifrash Ademe of UP failed to finish.
Earlier in the day, Ducks Elijah Greer, Andrew Wheating and Travis Thompson all advanced to the quarterfinals in the 800, while their female counterparts Anne Kesselring and Becca Friday along with Portland’s Cori Moore did so in the women’s race. Chloe Steinbeck, the Oregon freshman, ran 2:09.24 and did not advance.In the 400s, Keshia Baker won her heat to move on, while Chad Barlow ran 46.84 to advance on time in the men’s. In the men’s, Texas A&M, one of Oregon’s rivals for the national team title, advanced four runners to the quarterfinals. The Aggies’ Jessica Beard also had the day’s fastest time in the women’s qualifying, 51.25. Baker won her heat in 52.67.
In the 800, Greer won his heat in 1:49.23, Wheating his in 1:49.45. Thompson ran 1:48.81 for 3rd in Heat IV. Portland State’s Tony Crisofulli ran 1:50.86, failing to advance.
The Texas A&M women advanced four women in the 100 prelims. Oregon’s Mandy White advanced as well, running 11.67, the 15th-fastest time of the day. The Ducks’ Amber Purvis is passing up the 100 to concentrate on the 200 and the relays.
In the women’s 8, Kesselring and Friday both ran 2:07, Moore 2:08.
In two throwing events in which there were no Oregon entries, Ryan Whiting of Arizona State led the men’s shot put qualifying with a huge 71-7 ½, while Marissa Tschida of Washington State led the women’s javelin at 174-7. In that event, A&M’s Hillary Pustka threw 158-5 for the 12th and final qualifying position. Favorites Brooike Pighin of Washington and Kristine Busa of USC both failed to qualify.
In the men’s long jump, A&M also caught a break. Julian Reid claimed the 12th spot by virtue of his 2nd-best jump after tying for that place at 24-6 ½.