May 16, 2013
BERKELEY -
Cal will be well represented at the NCAA West Preliminary meet coming up in Austin, Texas, May 23-25, qualifying 29 individuals in 33 events as well as both the men's and women's 4x100-meter relays for the competition that will determine spots at the NCAA national championships.
Four Golden Bears reached the regional meet in two events - jumper Hammed Suleman, sprinters Tom Blocker and Charnell Price, and shot put/discus specialist Ethan Cochran. Cal had its most qualifiers in the men's high jump with four, while the Bears will also have multiple entries in the men's and women's 100 meters, men's 400-meter hurdles, men's triple jump, men's shot put, men's discus and men's hammer.
Suleman enters the competition ranked No. 1 in the long jump based on his Pac-12-winning effort of 25-11.50 from last weekend. He's also second in the triple jump with a best of 53-4.50, which came in Austin during the Texas Relays in late March. Suleman was the Pac-12 runner-up in the event.
Fellow conference champion Ray Stewart is No. 2 in the 110-meter hurdles with a top time of 13.43. The only person ahead of him is Oregon's Johnathan Cabral, whom he beat in the Pac-12 meet final.
Others rated in the top 10 in their respective events are: Kelsey Santisteban (7th, women's 5000 meters), Malaina Payton (6th, women's long jump), Collin Jarvis (9th, men's 3000-meter steeplechase) and Nick Ridge (9th, men's high jump).
Two preliminary championships will be held May 23-25, with the West regional in Austin and the East regional in Greensboro, N.C. The top 12 qualifiers out of each event will advance to the NCAA Championships June 5-8, in Eugene, Ore.
Three Bears who will be at regionals next week reached the NCAA meet in 2012 - Harrison Steed in the men's high jump, Chad Jones in the men's triple jump and Scott Esparza in the men's hammer. Steed posted the best result of the group, earning All-American honors for his eighth-place national finish.
California Qualifiers
Women
Men
