Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Big 12 Championships
Tech in Prime Position for Big 12 Championships
February 29, 2008 | Track and Field
Feb. 29, 2008
LINCOLN, Neb. - Texas Tech track teams are in prime position to make a run at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. The women are in fourth with 24 points and the men sit in third with twenty points after the first day of competition. The teams will start the second day of competition with the men's heptathlon at 9:30 a.m. Tech's first competitors will start at 2:00 p.m. with the men's high jump.
Julianne Kennedy, for the second year in a row, is the Big 12 Champion in the pentathlon. Kennedy's 4085 points breaks her personal best and the school record. The mark also automatically qualifies her for the NCAA Championships. She set three other personal bests on the day with an 8.56 in the 60M hurdles, 5'10" in the high jump and 42'-00.75" in the shot put. Sally Kipyego, the defending Big 12 Champion in the mile, will have a chance to defend her title. She ran the fastest prelim time with a NCAA provisional time of 4:47.31. Gladys Kipsang also qualified for the finals with a time of 4:50.94. Asia Diaz ran a time of 2:55.63 in the 1000M to qualify for Saturday's final.
The Lady Raiders earned valuable points in the field events as Kelley Schulz placed third in the pole vault earning five points due to a tie by clearing 12'-6.75". Jessie Gibbs set a season's best in the pole vault with a mark of 11'-7". Ozie Okolie had a throw of 61'00" to finish sixth and pick up three points in the weight throw.
The men will have two runners in the final of the miles as Gilbert Limo and Edwin Sang both qualified. Sang ran the second fastest qualifying time of 4:08.79 and Limo ran the sixth fastest time with a 4:12.77. Cory Higgins ran his personal best in the mile with a time of 4:15.94. The men's 60M hurdle finals will be crowded with Tech runners as three qualified. Shawon Harris ran the second fastest time of the prelims with a NCAA provisional time of 7.83. Jansen Hyde ran his first NCAA provisional qualifying with a 7.90. Omo Osaghae was the last qualifier with a time of 7.98.
Tech's long jumpers picked up 12 points in the long jump as Anthony Flemons, Bobby Evers and Waylon Randolph all scored. Flemons placed second picking up eight points with a NCAA provisional of 25'-2.50". Evers earned three points by finishing sixth with a jump of 24'-1.50". Randolph earned one point and eighth place with a personal best jump of 23'-10".
Several other men qualified for finals on Saturday. Julius Walker ran the fastest time in the 60M with a 6.67 and Lamont Adams ran a 1:10.77 in the 600Y. Silas Kemboi ran the third fastest time in the 1000M. The distance medley relays finished the first day of competition. The Lady Raiders team of Asia Diaz, Sandra Iwunze, Shannon Jackson and Sally Kipyego finished in third place with a NCAA provisional time of 11:24.84. The men's team of Edwin Sang, Zach Plinario, Silas Kemboi and Gilbert Limo earned second with a new school record time of 9:45.93.
Nebraska currently leads the women team standings with 49.50 and Colorado is first on the men's side with 34 points. For live results, log onto www.big12sports.com and for finals stats and a recap, log onto www.texastech.com.
Players Mentioned
