|
Nukuri Wins 5,000 Meters
May 18, 2008
CHAMPAIGN, IL - The University of Iowa men and women's track team completed competition at the Big Ten Championships at the University of Illinois today. The women placed sixth while the men were eighth. Leading the women was senior Diane Nukuri who earned her first Big Ten championship with a time of 16:24.21 in the 5,000 meters. Junior A.J. Curtis and sophomore Adam Hairston led the men by placing third in the shot put and 800 meters respectively. "I thought our team put up a good fight from the first night of competition all the way until the last event on Sunday," Head Coach Layne Anderson said. "We were one point away from fifth and four away from fourth place. We left some points out on the track, but overall it was a good performance." Nukuri became the second Hawkeye from the women's team to win an outdoor Big Ten Championship this weekend, classmate Meghan Armstrong won the 10,000 meter title Friday. Armstrong (16:28.71) and senior Racheal Marchand (16:40.03) placed third and fifth behind Nukuri. Placing fourth in the triple jump was junior Renee White. She broke the school record with a leap of 42-8 ¼, more than four inches better then the previous school record, which she set earlier this season at the Sun Angel Classic. Other impressive performances turned in by the Hawkeyes included senior Kineke Alexander's fourth place finish in the 400 meters with a time of 54.06. Sophomore Caleigh Bacchus had career best leap in the high jump of 5-7 ¼, placing her sixth. In the men's shot put, Curtis had a career best toss of 59-8 ¼, it was good enough for third place while senior Shane Maier placed fifth with a season best throw of 59-4 ¼. Hairston's third place finish in the 800 meters with a time of 1:50.68 was only .6 seconds behind the 800 meter champion, Hans Storvick from Minnesota. Hairston's time was his fastest of the season. The 400-meter relay of Max Milder, Brandon McSkimming, Aaron Reed and Lee Elbert placed fourth with a season best 40.98. The 1,600 meter relay of Steven Willey, Zach Splan, Ray Varner and Chris Barton took fifth with a time of 3:11.39. Members of the University of Iowa track and field teams will be back in action at the NCAA Regional meet in Des Moines, IA, May 30-31. WOMEN'S MEET RESULTS (Event Winner Plus Iowa Placers)
Click HERE for the Big Ten Network home page.
|