June 25, 2005
Carson, CA -
STRICKLAND WINS TRIPLE JUMP
Freshman Cassandra Strickland, who expressed disappointment with her seventeenth place finish at the NCAA championships not two weeks ago, was more than a little excited about her victory in the junior women's triple jump, "I'm just happy to be the national champion." Strickland posted the exact same mark of 42-1.5 she had from the NCAA championships to win the event at the Home Depot Center. Despite leading through the whole event, the victory was anything but certain. Strickland's first jump of 41-7.25 gave her first place through the first round, but Ke'Nyia Richardson and Lauren Stewart were chomping at the bit in second and third as they prepared to take shots at her lead. Strickland kept the momentum and increased her lead in the second round where she jumped her best mark of 42-1.5. The mark survived two long attempts by Richardson and Stewart in the last round, who came within an inch and three inches, respectively of matching Strickland. The mark ties her lifetime best set at the NCAA championships and qualifies her for the junior Pan-Am Games in Windsor, Ontario next month where she will compete as a member of the junior national team.
Earlier in the day, freshman Amanda Thornberry posted a collegiate best in the1,500m in finishing sixth in the junior women's division. Thornberry's time of 4:30.50 makes her the eighth Cal Athlete to be named a Verizon Junior All-American. Thornberry wasn't done yet. After her personal best time in the 1,500m Thornberry had three hours to recover before racing a second personal best in the 3,000SC. Thornberry's time of 11:11.00 beat her old best of 11:17.15 and earned her fourth place along with her second set of Verizon Junior All-American honors, bringing the Cal team total to nine and making her the third Cal athlete to gain double honors this year along freshman Missy Faubus who doubled in the shot put and discus and Strickland who won honors in the long jump along with winning the triple jump.
MEREDITH IN 11TH AFTER DAY ONE
Senior Brooke Meredith got off to a great start in the women's heptathlon posting a windy, albeit lifetime best of 14.30 in the 100mH for 936 points. The wind reading of 2.3 m/s does not affect the points she earned for the performance, but does disqualify the mark for record purposes. Meredith followed the performance in the hurdles with a seasonal best in the high jump of 5-5.25 for 806 points. Her lifetime best stands at 5-7.25.
After her terrific showings in the hurdles and high jump, Meredith produced a fantastic throw in the shot put of 43-7.25 for 747 points and the second farthest throw in the competition. That mark eclipses her old seasonal best this year of 40-4 set at the Pac-10 Multi-Event championships. After three great performances, Meredith came into the 200m in eleventh place. Her time 26.09 kept her position and gave her 789 points for a first day lifetime best total of 3,278 points. Her old first day best of 3,239 points was set only last month at the Pac-10 Multi-Event championships.
CARTER BREAKS 200M RECORD
Senior Antonette Carter followed her performance in yesterday's long jump with a record breaking performance in the 200m qualifying rounds. After getting out with the rest of the field and maintaining through the turn, Carter fell into a fast rhythm down the stretch and picked off runners as she finished fourth in 23.05, breaking her own school record of 23.16 by a whole tenth-of-a-second and qualifying her for the semi-finals to be contested tomorrow.
