University of Arizona Athletics

DURHAM, N.C. - University of Arizona senior Esko Mikkola became the ninth person in NCAA history to win multiple men's javelin titles, as he took the crown with his first throw at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Championships Thursday at Duke University's Wallace Wade Stadium.

Mikkola, who also won the title in 1998, launched a throw of 238 feet, 3 inches (72.62m) on his first throw of the competition. That throw held up through the entire competition, as not many improvements were made late in the event because of hot, humid conditions and a headwind that affected the throws.

"I was not very pleased with the distance, but it is a good feeling to come away with the win," Mikkola said. "I thought that I was going to be able to throw further today, but the wind and the heat kind of held things down."

The title also gives Arizona 10 more points, moving the Wildcats' total to 16 for the competition, good for fifth place after seven events.

The native of Finland fouled on his five successive attempts, as he did not need a longer throw to win. Virginia's Brian Kollar threw 236-10 on his first throw, which allowed him to finish second. North Carolina's Kestutis Celiesius recorded a mark of 234-4 on his last throw to move into third place.

The closest anyone came to beating Mikkola was UTEP's Mats Nilsson. On his last attempt, Nilsson appeared to throw the javelin well over the 240-foot line. However, he stepped out of the throwing sector with his right foot on his follow-through, and the throw was recorded as a foul.

"I know that Esko is very capable of throwing a lot further than he did today, but he still competed hard and won a national title," said the UA associate head coach Mike Maynard, the throws coach. "Esko is a great student-athlete. He is an exceptional student, dedicated and hard working in the sport and a national champion."

Mikkola, who finished second at the meet last season, was throwing Thursday for only the second time this season. In February, he tore ligaments in his left ankle while playing soccer as a warm-up activity.

With his ankle healed, he appeared to be nearing full strength when he started to have back problems. Mikkola was diagnosed with two stress fractures in his L4 and L5 vertebrae. He battled back, however, to win the Pacific-10 Conference title and the NCAA title in successive competitions.

"I am at about 85 percent right now," said Mikkola, who will graduate in December with a degree in electrical engineering. "My ankle is better, but I have to wear two (weight) belts to keep my back in (throwing) condition. It looks like I have a woman's corset on."

Mikkola said the heat played a factor in the event, as well.

"I think we were all very hot out there, but everyone had to throw in the same weather," he said. "I don't like the weather like this at all. The only time it is this hot in Finland is in a sauna. And we don't do sports in saunas."

Mikkola came to Arizona after being recruited by Maynard and on the suggestion of his friend and former Wildcat hammer thrower Tapio Kolunsarka, a two-time All-American in 1996 and '97.

He won the NCAA javelin title in his first year as a Wildcat (1998) with a throw of 268-7 (81.86m) at the meet in Buffalo, N.Y. That throw set an NCAA Championship meet record, a Pac-10 record and UA school record.

Last season, he was again slowed by injuries and finished second in at the NCAA meet in Boise, Idaho with a throw of 252-0 (76.81m), while UTEP's Matti Nahri threw 261-7 (79.74m) to win.

Texas' Patrik Boden was the last to win multiple NCAA javelin titles. He took three straight crowns from 1989-91.

Mikkola's title is the third javelin title in school history. John Tushaus won UA's first track and field national title in 1965.

Maynard has now coached four NCAA Champions - Mikkola twice, Derek Huff (Decathlon, 1989) and Klaus Ambrosch (Decathlon, 1998). He has also coached point scorers every year since he started at UA in 1987.

The Wildcats continue competition later Thursday as junior Andrea Neary competes in the women's pole vault, sophomore Brianna Glenn runs in the semifinals of the women's 100m and junior Patrick Nduwimana runs in the finals of the 800m.