June 10, 2010
EUGENE, Ore. – Vanderbilt senior Buky Bamigboye, plagued by injury, was unable to finish the heptathlon at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The Nashville native entered Thursday with 3,081 points and prepared to have a strong day two when her legs could not recover from the cramps that hindered her throughout the first day.
Bamigboye’s first event of the day was the long jump, an event in which the three-time national qualifier normally excels. Her career best in the event is 20-00.50 and her season best was 19-10.25 at the Tennessee Invitational. Bamigboye jumped 17-06.25 to move her to 18th place overall.
“She couldn’t overcome yesterday’s cramps and had really heavy sore legs today,” Vanderbilt assistant coach Clark Humphreys commented. “She battled but just couldn’t get it going.”
The javelin throw was next and Bamigboye threw 106-09 to place 15th in the event, her lowest throw of the season, while obviously still hampered by her previous injuries.
It was at this point in the competition that Humphreys and Bamigboye made the joint decision not to compete in the final event of the heptathlon, the 800 meter run.
“It’s a tough ending to a short, but record breaking, career here at Vanderbilt. Buky has been such a lift for us this past season. I just wish we’d had her for four years instead of just one,” Humphreys noted.
This marks the end of the season for the Vanderbilt track team. The Commodores will return nearly the entire team for the 2011 track season.
