Texas Tech's Kipyego Closes in on History

UCLA's Watkins takes long jump, Arizona State throwers struggle

June 8, 2007

By Brett Hess

Special to CSTV.com

	Brett Hess Brett Hess covers Cross Country for CSTV.com E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- TRACK/CROSS COUNTRY 11/19: Kipyego, Stanford Win As Expected 11/19: Blow For Blow To The Finish 11/16: Practically A Sure Thing 11/16: Championship Field Is A History Lesson In Motion 11/6: Irish Hope Shay Is An Inspiration 10/30: Louisville's Emergence Continues 10/23: No Margin For Error 10/16: Kuijken, FSU Race Toward Postseason 10/09: Liberty's McDougal Begins Run For Title 10/02: Rice Women Surprise At Notre Dame 9/25: Invitational Season In Full Swing 9/19: Still Pinching Herself 9/11: Kipyego, Barringer Are Favorites 9/4: Lomong and Rupp Lead Returnees 6/8: Texas Tech's Kipyego Closes In On History 6/7: Arizona's Arnold Sets Record in Decathlon 6/5: FSU Isn't Feeling The Pressure 6/5: Throwers Lead Sun Devils to Sacramento 5/29: Stars Shine at NCAA Regional Meets 5/26: Florida State Primed For East Regional Title 5/26: Top-Ranked LSU Women Trailing At Mideast Regional 5/22: Hastings Does It Her Way 5/15: Wisconsin, Omole Make History at Big Ten Meet 5/8: Notre Dame's Huddle Finishing Strong 5/1: Drake or Penn? Why Not Both? 4/24: Hokies Show Courage In Competing 4/17: Senioritis is Good for Diana Pickler 4/10: Little Longhorn With Big Heart 3/26: Patience Pays Off For Duke's Rowbury 3/20: Just Like The Movies 3/11: Solinsky Leads Wisconsin To First-Ever Track Title 3/11: Front-Running Sun Devils 3/11: Saluki Strong 3/9: The Dual Is On 3/9: Stevens Helps Pace Sun Devils To Early Lead 3/6: Outdoor Champ FSU Favored Indoors 3/5: Sun Devils Look to Take Next Step 2/20: As Belt Leaps Higher, So Does L'ville 2/6: Huskies Running Out In Front 11/19: Stanford's Aiming For Repeat 11/19: Wisconsin Favored To Defend Title

SACRAMENTO - Sally Kipyego ran 10,000-meters Thursday night; now she's only 5,000-meters to history.

The Texas Tech sophomore won the 10,000 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a run of 32 minutes, 55.71 seconds. This sets the table for Friday night. when Kipyego hopes to become the first woman in history to win five individual titles in one academic year.

Thursday night Kipyego completed track's most grueling event: 25 laps around the 400-meter oval. Despite running in the evening, track temperatures remained in the 80s. Only 24 hours before, Kipyego had run in the 5,000-meter preliminaries in which she advanced to Friday's final.

"It's amazing. I just wanted to come in here tonight and finish on a high note. I came in expecting to win the title," Kipyego said.

Also, Kipyego's 5-10 double at the outdoor championship would be just the fifth time that has been accomplished. To do this, endurance is definitely key. Kipyego is confident she has enough.

"I know I still have to run the 5K tomorrow, so I didn't want to use up all my energy," Kipyego said. "I wanted to run up front and set my own pace."

Runner-up to Kipyego was Melissa Grelli of Georgetown in 33:01.56 followed by Aine Hoban (Providence) in 33:04.32 and Amy Hastings (Arizona State) in 33:08.27. Kipyego ran with Grelli, Hoban and Hastings until less than two miles remained. She then surged to a 10-second lead and was never challenged again.

UCLA's Rhonda Watkins also followed through on her top-seed in the long jump. With a leap of 22-feet-10, Watkins outjumped runner-up Brittney Reese of Mississippi by nearly 10 inches.

"The wind was at my back, so I knew it would be an OK mark," said Watkins. "But it didn't feel like it was that far. I wanted to jump at least 6.90 (meters) and I got it (6.96)."

To Watson, the victory was even sweeter than her NCAA Indoor title this past March.

"There are a lot more people doing outdoors, so it's more competitive," Watkins said. "Since it seems more competitive, I guess it makes me feel like I accomplished more."

Watkins said she felt fresh Thursday because she was competing in only one event. On Wednesday, she had to qualify in both the high jump and long jump. This sets her up for yet another focused approach for Friday's high jump final.

"I definitely feel like now that the long jump is over I can go out there and have some fun with it," Watkins said.

In the team race, Arizona State didn't have as poor a day on Thursday as it did on Wednesday. Then again, that would have been virtually impossible.

The No. 1-ranked Sun Devils managed to advance both of their shot putters into Saturday's finals. Both Sarah Stevens and Jessica Pressley, seeded first and second respectively, made up for their disappointments on Wednesday. Pressley qualified second and Stevens fifth among the 12 who

advanced to the finals.

It was Wednesday that Stevens (seeded No. 1 in the discus) and Pressley (seeded No. 4) failed to advance to the finals in that event. That costs Arizona State 15 points and brings the deep field of possible contenders that much closer to the Sun Devils. The Sun Devils are not without hope though, in the discus. Tai Battle, seeded fifth, did advance to the finals. Also, after the first day of the heptathlon, Jacquelyn Johnson is in fourth place.

Johnson, a two-time champion (2004 and 2006), is 133 points behind leader Gaelle Niare of SMU. She would have been an estimate 160 points behind if not for the mis-step of Washington State's Diana Pickler.

Bad things didn't only happen to Arizona State, that's for sure. Pickler, seeded No. 1 in the heptathlon, was leading after three events and then apparently won the 200-meter run, Thursday's final event. But then the

red flag of an official waved and Pickler was disqualified for stepping outside her lane. By no-pointing in one of the event's seven disciplines, Pickler eliminated herself from even placing, let alone winning, the event.

With only two events final, UCLA (behind Watkins) and Texas Tech (behind Kipyego) lead in the team scoring with 10 points each. Friday there will be field event finals in the hammer throw, discus, high

jump and pole vault. On the track, the finals will be the heptathlon, 100-meter hurdles, 100-meters, 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000-meters.