Alabama Track and Field Advances Four to the NCAA Championships on Day One of the East Preliminary

Bobby Colantonio Jr. (hammer), Isaac Odugbesan (shot put), Chago Basso (shot put) and Victor Kiprop all earned trips to the NCAA Championships final site next month.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – On a decidedly damp day one at the NCAA East Preliminary in Bloomington, Ind., the Alabama track and field men saw four earn a spot at the NCAA Championships final site, while six more advanced to Friday for a chance to punch their tickets to Eugene, Ore., and the national championships.

Bobby Colantonio Jr. got things going for the Crimson Tide by earning a spot in Eugene in the hammer throw, the first event of the day, with a mark of 70.14 meters on his final toss, good for second on the day.

In the final running event of the day, Victor Kiprop took third in the 10,000 meters with a time of 28:38.36 to punch his ticket to Oregon.

In the shot put, the last event of the day, Alabama advanced two to Eugene, with Isaac Odugbesan using a school-record throw of 20.85 meters to win the NCAA East Preliminary with a facility record, while Chago Basso used a toss of 19.50 meters to finish fifth.

Advancing to Friday

• In addition to having four clinch their spot at the NCAA Championships’ final site, Alabama had six advance in the shorter races, where the field was cut in half, from 48 to 24 on Wednesday, and will be cut to the final 12 on Friday
• Corde Long shaved almost three-tenths of a second off the Alabama record he set at the SEC Championships to take first in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 49.30
• Eliud Kipsang will race on Friday in the 1,500 meters after posting the second-fastest time on the day, going 3:42.56
• Khaleb McRae ran a career-best 45.45 in the 400 meters to finish third and advance to Friday
• Tarsis Orogot ran a 20.27 to take fifth, while Demetrius Jackson went 20.67 to take 20th, with both men advancing to Friday
• Jacob Lamb ran a 1:50.05 in the 800 meters to earn a spot in Friday’s race and a chance to move on to Eugene

Women Start Thursday

• While the men getting the NCAA East Preliminary underway on Wednesday, the women will follow the same schedule on Thursday
• Kassidy Gallagher and Samantha Kunza get the women started at 9 a.m. CT on Thursday with the hammer throw, while Flomena Asekol opens things on the track at 1:30 p.m. CT in the 1,500 meters
• The women's squad includes Flomena Asekol, Na'Taja Ballard, Amari Brown, Mercy Chelangat, Nickolette Dunbar, Milan Fields, Kassidy Gallagher, Samantha Kunza, Talaya Lewis, Sydney Milani, Christal Mosley, Amara Obi, Hailey Poole, Chanice Spicer, Ayla Stanisclaus, Amaris Tyynismaa, Karmen Williams and Samantha Zelden

Gallery: Alabama Track & Field

Alabama athletics

University of Alabama

Alabama Athletics