Ewen misses chance to defend hammer throw title, with USC men losing out on potential 4x100 performance at nationals

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

With three hammer throws into the cage Saturday at the Division 1 West Regionals at Sacramento State, so to went the potential of challenging for three NCAA individual championships for Arizona State senior Maggie Ewen.

With a failed baton pass before Michael Norman even had a chance to run on the 4x100-meter relay, the team title aspirations for the USC men might have slipped away as well at Hornet Stadium.

There were other elite athletes or high-profile relays that came up short of qualifying for the June 6-9 national championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., including the Ducks in the men’s 4x100, but perhaps none were as significant as the three fouls for the collegiate record holder Ewen – who already qualified in the shot put and discus – and the missed exchange for the USC men.

Norman and teammates Rai Benjamin, Zach Shinnick and Robert Ford did end the meet on a high note, gaining a measure of redemption in the 4x400 relay.

Trailing Texas A&M entering the anchor leg, Norman caught Devin Dixon in the final 25 meters to help the Trojans prevail by a 3:01.11 to 3:01.23 margin.

Although there was not an official anchor split recorded by the timing company, various sources had Norman timed anywhere from 43.06 to 43.2. Regardless of what the official mark was, Norman’s performance ranks among the top five relay splits in history, with American Michael Johnson still boasting the all-time carry at 42.94 from 1993.

USC and Oregon made sure there were no hiccups for their women’s teams, especially in the sprints, hurdles and relays.
Oregon led all qualifiers in both the 4x100 and 4x400, clocking 43.32 and 3:29.94, with USC also advancing at 43.58 and 3:30.57.

Both teams had three athletes qualify in the 200, with USC’s Deanna Hill and Twanisha Terry posting the top two times at 22.67 and 22.74.

USC made a strong statement by qualifying four individuals in the women’s 100 hurdles, being joined by Oregon’s Alaysha Johnson (12.96). Texas’ Pedra Seymour led all qualifiers in 12.80, with the Trojans qualifying Chanel Brissett (12.86), Dior Hall (12.91), Anna Cockrell (12.99) and Mecca McGlaston (13.27).

The women’s distance qualifying races showcased a dress rehearsal for nationals, with Missouri senior Karissa Schweizer prevailing over New Mexico’s Ednah Kurgat and Kansas’ Sharon Lokedi in her 5,000-meter section.

Schweizer clocked 15:19.65, surging ahead of Kurgat (15:25.25) and Lokedi (15:27.09) on the final lap.

In the other 5,000 section, New Mexico freshman Weini Kelati pushed the pace from the start, but Stanford fifth-year senior Vanessa Fraser (15:27.36) and Boise State redshirt sophomore Allie Ostrander (15:27.46) eventually closed the gap in the final 800 to take the top two spots. Kelati held on for third in 15:28.54.

Oklahoma State sophomore Sinclaire Johnson enjoyed a big breakthrough to post the fastest 1,500 qualifying time of 4:11.57, with Stanford teammates Elise Cranny (4:12.49) and Christina Aragon (4:12.73) safely advancing in separate sections.

Oregon sophomore Jessica Hull (4:13.22) also moved on, along with Arkansas senior Nikki Hiltz (4:13.33), a former Ducks standout who has continued her remarkable comeback six weeks removed from being on crutches with a knee injury. 

After already advancing in the long jump, Wyoming junior Ja’la Henderson became the first athlete in program history to qualify for nationals in the triple jump, winning the competition with a wind-aided leap of 44-3.50 (13.50), in addition to a wind-legal mark of 44-2.75 (13.48). The wind-legal performance also made her eligible to compete June 21 at the USATF Outdoor Championships.

Iowa senior Jahisha Thomas also qualified in both jumps, taking second in the triple with a leap of 44-2 (13.46m) after winning the long jump. Iowa State senior Jhoanmy Luque also advanced in both events.

Northern Arizona senior Brooke Andersen, No. 2 all-time in collegiate history, was also in danger of not qualifying in the hammer throw following two fouls. But she safely recorded a mark of 233-9 (71.26m) to win the competition by nearly 11 feet.

After already qualifying in the 100 and 200, Arkansas State senior Jaylen Bacon helped the Red Wolves produce the top time in the 4x100 relay at 39.35, just ahead of TCU (39.38). Houston (39.40) and Texas (39.42) also advanced.

New Mexico junior Josh Kerr moved closer to repeating as NCAA 1,500 champion, clocking 3:42.62 to hold off Texas freshman Sam Worley (3:42.90) and lead all qualifiers. Oregon’s Sam Prakel also continued his momentum following a Pac-12 championship by winning his section in 3:42.77.

Both 5,000 qualifying races were deep and challenging, with Stanford’s Grant Fisher and Sean McGorty (13:48.09) advancing, along with Northern Arizona’s Andy Trouard (13:47.86) in their section. Utah State’s Dillon Maggard (13:49.42) and Colorado State’s Cole Rockhold (13:49.82) renewed their rivalry from the Mountain West final May 12 to secure the top two spots in their heat. Fisher is the defending NCAA champion.

Illinois senior David Kendziera led all qualifiers in the men’s 110 hurdles in 13.40, with Texas Tech freshman Divine Oduduru posting the top time in the 200 in 20.21.

More freshmen shined in the shot put, with Texas’ Adrian Piperi and Arizona’s Jordan Geist securing the top two spots. Piperi prevailed at 66-11.50 (20.41m), with Geist producing a 66-6 (20.27m) effort.

Two-time NCAA indoor champion Mostafa Hassan of Colorado State, competing in only his second meet because of a torn left groin muscle, qualified fifth with a mark of 64-6.50 (19.67m) and national leader Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State was third at 65-6.25 (19.97m).

Utah State’s Sindri Gudmundsson led all qualifiers in the men’s javelin with a throw of 255-5 (77.87m), with nine athletes clearing 7-1 (2.16m) to move on in the high jump.

TCU’s Scotty Newton and Texas A&M’s Tahar Triki both had leading triple jump marks of 53-0.75 (16.17m).