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Three Owls Clinch Spots at NCAA Championships
5/26/2023 10:26:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
SACRAMENTO – The Rice women's track and field team had an incredible day of competition at the NCAA West Prelims in Sacramento, Calif., with three Owls earning spots at the NCAA Championships in Austin Texas. Tara Simpson-Sullivan, Mckyla Van der Westhuizen and Erna Gunnarsdottir all punched their tickets to the championships.
Simpson-Sullivan opened the competition with a fourth-place showing in the hammer throw with a distance of 66.66m (218-8). Van der Westhuizen continued the hot start for Rice with a seventh-place showing in javelin with a throw of 55.18m (181-00).
Gunnarsdottir was able to grab a share of 12th place on her final throw and won the tiebreaker due to a better second throw to clinch a spot in Austin.
On the track, Kennedy Gamble advanced to the finals on Saturday in the 100m dash after a 20th-place showing with a personal best time of 11.46s.
In order to advance to the NCAA Championships in Austin athletes have to finish within the top 12 in the east and west prelims (24 advance total).
RESULTS (Top 12 advance to Austin / Top 24 runners advance to West Prelim finals)
Hammer Throw
4. Simspon-Sullivan – 66.66m (218-08)
Javelin
7. Van der Westhuizen – 55.18m (181-00)
Shot Put
T12. Gunnarsdotttir – 17.13m (56-02.50)
100m
20. Gamble – 11.46s
200m
33. Gamble – 23.66s
400m Hurdles
30. Savannah Simms – 59.82s
800m
33. Alyssa Balandran – 2:07.69
43. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 2:09.46
DAY FOUR
Rice will be back in action tomorrow for Day 4 of the NCAA West Prelims.
Simpson-Sullivan opened the competition with a fourth-place showing in the hammer throw with a distance of 66.66m (218-8). Van der Westhuizen continued the hot start for Rice with a seventh-place showing in javelin with a throw of 55.18m (181-00).
Gunnarsdottir was able to grab a share of 12th place on her final throw and won the tiebreaker due to a better second throw to clinch a spot in Austin.
On the track, Kennedy Gamble advanced to the finals on Saturday in the 100m dash after a 20th-place showing with a personal best time of 11.46s.
In order to advance to the NCAA Championships in Austin athletes have to finish within the top 12 in the east and west prelims (24 advance total).
Hammer Throw
4. Simspon-Sullivan – 66.66m (218-08)
Javelin
7. Van der Westhuizen – 55.18m (181-00)
Shot Put
T12. Gunnarsdotttir – 17.13m (56-02.50)
100m
20. Gamble – 11.46s
200m
33. Gamble – 23.66s
400m Hurdles
30. Savannah Simms – 59.82s
800m
33. Alyssa Balandran – 2:07.69
43. Taigen Hunter-Galvan – 2:09.46
Rice will be back in action tomorrow for Day 4 of the NCAA West Prelims.
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Javelin
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