May 26, 2016
Event: NCAA East Regionals
Day, Date: Thursday-Saturday, May 26-28
Host: University of North Florida
Site: Hodges Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Meet schedule: HERE
Heat Sheet: HERE
Meet Info: HERE
Live Results: HERE
Streaming: HERE
Full viewing schedule: HERE
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With their eyes set on earning spots in the NCAA Championships, three Commodores took the next step in that process Thursday in the NCAA East Prelims at Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida.
Sara Barron and Katherine Delaney each advanced to the quarterfinals in the 1500 meters and Courtney Clayton moved on in the 800 meters. The three are now one step away from punching their ticket to Oregon.
Running in the first heat, Delaney got out of the gate early and set the pace throughout her run, finishing first in her heat with a time of 4:23.33. The top five finishers from each of the four heats automatically advanced to the quarterfinals, and in Delaney¹s heat a pack of five runners made clear separation from the rest of the field.
Competing in the third heat, Sara Barron maintained a steady pace in second position behind NCAA-leader Marta Freitas through two laps. Barron was part of a pack of six runners vying for five spots to advance to the quarterfinals.
Barron maintained a top five position until the 200-meter mark where she slipped to sixth. Although she did not earn automatic qualification with a top-five finish, Barron¹s time of 4:23.33 was good enough to earn one of the four remaining spots in the quarterfinals given to those with the best times who did not finish in the top five of their heat.
Bad memories come to mind when Clayton thinks about her trip to Jacksonville in 2015. The junior was knocked down early on in last year’s 800 meters, but she avenged the incident Thursday by securing a place in the quarterfinals.
Clayton found herself in the middle of the pack after the first 100 meters, but maintained a good position before turning on the jets in the last 200 meters to finish second in her heat with a season-best time of 2:06.14.
There will be little rest for Clayton, who will return to the track for the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. Friday. The top three in each heat, plus the next three best times will advance to Oregon.
Barron and Delaney will run again at 5:30 p.m. CT Saturday with the top five in each heat, plus the top two next best times advancing to the NCAA Championships.
Opening the NCAA Prelims for Vanderbilt was Skyler Carpenter in the 400-meter hurdles. Competing in the sixth heat, Carpenter finished 37th overall with a time of 1:00.01, failing to advance to the quarterfinals.
Jennifer Edobi also competed in the 400 meters, finishing 32nd overall with a time of 53.66.
THURSDAY’S RESULTS (Vanderbilt)
400 Hurdles
37. Skyler Carpenter 1:00.01
1500
20. Sara Barron 4:23.04
22. Katherine Delaney 4:23.33
400
32. Jennifer Edobi 53.66
800
14. Courtney Clayton2:06.14
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (Vanderbilt)
FRIDAY
4 pm Pole vault (Vanderbilt: Sarah Bell)
5 pm 400 quarterfinals
6 pm 800 quarterfinals(Vanderbilt: Courtney Clayton)
6:30 pm 400 Hurdles quarterfinals
SATURDAY
5:30 pm 1500 quarterfinals(Vanderbilt: Sara Barron, Katherine Delaney)
5:30 pm 5k (Vanderbilt: Vanessa Valentine, Carmen Carlos)
7:05 pm Triple Jump (Vanderbilt: Simone Charley)
