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Thursday, June 10
Eugene, OR
3 p.m. (CT)
Rice University
vs
NCAA Championships (Simpson-Sullivan/Forbes)
Forbes, Simpson-Sullivan Earn First Team All-American Honors
6/10/2021 9:34:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
Forbes becomes 3x All-American in 2021
EUGENE, OR – Rice women's track and field freshmen Tara Simpson-Sullivan (hammer throw) and distance runner Grace Forbes (10,000m) both turned in First Team All-American performances on day two of the NCAA Outdoor Championships Thursday at Hayward Stadium, earning a combined seven team points for the Owls.
Forbes placed seventh overall in the grueling 10,000m in a time of 32:38.91, her second-best performance of the season. The Wallingford, Pa. native joined second place finisher Mercy Chelangat (Alabama) as the only two athletes in the NCAA this year to earn All-American honors at the Indoor 5000m, Cross Country 6k, and Thursday's Outdoor 10,000m, all of which occurred in the last three months.
Forbes became the first Owl to earn First Team All-American honors in the 10,000m since Becky Wade in 2008. Forbes, who has also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, put a bow on a 2021 collegiate outdoor season in which she won the 10,000m at the NCAA West Prelims and won three C-USA Championships while also breaking the school record in the 10,000m and the 1500m.
Simpson-Sullivan began the day by recording her best throw on her final attempt in the finals with a heave of 68.78m (225-8) to move from sixth to fourth place. The throw was her second-best mark of the season and just shy of her own school record (68.91m) set in April at the J. Fred Duckett Twilight.
The Penrith, England native had qualified for the finals (top-9) with a mark of 67.99 on her second attempt. Simpson-Sullivan became the first Owl to earn NCAA Outdoor First Team All-American honors since Daisy Ding in the triple jump (8th-2015) and her fourth place result was the best finish by an Owl since Krystal Robinson (3rd-2016) in the discus. It was also the highest finish by a freshman in the competition.
"I think I'm still in shock, it hasn't really sank in yet that I came in fourth at nationals with my best series ever," Simpson-Sullivan said. "This feeling is quite surreal, I'm so happy and proud of myself, and I can't wait for my final couple of competitions once I'm back home."
Simpson-Sullivan's performance capped a spectacular outdoor season in which she won a Conference USA title in the hammer throw and placed sixth at the NCAA West Prelims. Simpson-Sullivan broke the school record at the first meet of the season and then broke her own record on four different occasions during the season. Simpson-Sullivan will head back home soon to compete at the British Athletic Championships on June 26 at 12:20 p.m. GMT (7:20 a.m. CT).
The Owls will have one more competitor at the NCAA Championships with All-American Michelle Fokam competing in the triple jump on Saturday at 5:20 p.m. CT on ESPN3.
Forbes placed seventh overall in the grueling 10,000m in a time of 32:38.91, her second-best performance of the season. The Wallingford, Pa. native joined second place finisher Mercy Chelangat (Alabama) as the only two athletes in the NCAA this year to earn All-American honors at the Indoor 5000m, Cross Country 6k, and Thursday's Outdoor 10,000m, all of which occurred in the last three months.
Forbes became the first Owl to earn First Team All-American honors in the 10,000m since Becky Wade in 2008. Forbes, who has also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, put a bow on a 2021 collegiate outdoor season in which she won the 10,000m at the NCAA West Prelims and won three C-USA Championships while also breaking the school record in the 10,000m and the 1500m.
Simpson-Sullivan began the day by recording her best throw on her final attempt in the finals with a heave of 68.78m (225-8) to move from sixth to fourth place. The throw was her second-best mark of the season and just shy of her own school record (68.91m) set in April at the J. Fred Duckett Twilight.
The Penrith, England native had qualified for the finals (top-9) with a mark of 67.99 on her second attempt. Simpson-Sullivan became the first Owl to earn NCAA Outdoor First Team All-American honors since Daisy Ding in the triple jump (8th-2015) and her fourth place result was the best finish by an Owl since Krystal Robinson (3rd-2016) in the discus. It was also the highest finish by a freshman in the competition.
"I think I'm still in shock, it hasn't really sank in yet that I came in fourth at nationals with my best series ever," Simpson-Sullivan said. "This feeling is quite surreal, I'm so happy and proud of myself, and I can't wait for my final couple of competitions once I'm back home."
Simpson-Sullivan's performance capped a spectacular outdoor season in which she won a Conference USA title in the hammer throw and placed sixth at the NCAA West Prelims. Simpson-Sullivan broke the school record at the first meet of the season and then broke her own record on four different occasions during the season. Simpson-Sullivan will head back home soon to compete at the British Athletic Championships on June 26 at 12:20 p.m. GMT (7:20 a.m. CT).
The Owls will have one more competitor at the NCAA Championships with All-American Michelle Fokam competing in the triple jump on Saturday at 5:20 p.m. CT on ESPN3.
-RiceOwls.com-
Players Mentioned
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
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