SACRAMENTO, Calif. ?- University of Arizona junior Robert Cheseret claimed his second ever national title late Thursday night in Sacramento at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Cheseret’s victory vaulted the men into second place with 10 points through three scored events. The women have yet to compete in a final.
The Wildcats’ distance sensation faced a tough field of talented runners in his quest for his first of two possible national titles. Cheseret won with a time of 28:20.11, edging freshman Galen Rupp of Oregon by three seconds. He is also the favorite to defend his title at 5,000 meters.
“Robert ran a five-second personal record, and he looked very comfortable,” head coach Fred Harvey said. “He got things started for us. We are getting people to the finals that should be there. We’ve only had a couple disappointments, but people are getting things done.”
The UA men continued their success in the throwing events earlier in the day as junior Sean Shields and sophomore Adam Kuehl competed in the qualifying round of the men’s discus competition. Both athletes qualified for the final, which will take place on Saturday. Kuehl had the third best throw of the day, which measured 194 feet, 7 inches (59.31m). Shields earned the twelfth and final qualifying spot with a throw of 180 feet (54.86m).
In the women’s throws, freshman Megan Howard is putting her first trip to the NCAA Championships to use as she qualified for the final of the women’s shot put. Howard put up a personal record throw of 54 feet, 3 ?ľ inches (16.55m) to place fifth in the qualifying round. Junior Kelli Burton placed 18th in the prelims, which was short of qualifying for the final. Burton will compete in the women’s discus final on Friday.
In the men’s decathlon, sophomore Jake Arnold saw his first trip to the NCAA Championships cut short after a no height in the pole vault, which is typically his best event. Arnold was holding steady in ninth place heading into the pole vault. He did not compete in the final two events of the day.
The Wildcats return to action on Friday at Sacramento State’s Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex. The NCAA Championships will be televised on CBS on Saturday, July 18.
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