Five Arizona athletes advanced to the NCAA track and field championships by finishing among the top dozen competitors in their events Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary Meet in Sacramento. The national finals are in Eugene, Oregon in two weeks.
Senior Collins Kibet had the ninth fastest time in the 800-meters, 1:48.15, to advance. Freshman Maksims Sincukovs finished ninth in the 400-meter hurdles at 50.62, his season-best time.
Freshmen Turner Washington and Jordan Geist also qualified, placing 10th and 12th in the discus with throws of 181-8 and 181-5 respectively. Junior Bailey Roth finished third in his steeplechase heat in 8:45.70 to advance.
Maj Williams and Tatum Waggoner just missed the cutoff for Eugene in the men's and women's 400-meter dash. Steeplechase runner Kayla Ferron also failed to advance.
The meet concludes Saturday with several Wildcats set to compete: Geist in the shot put; Carlos Villarreal, 1,500 meters; and Bryant O’Georgia and Justice Summerset, high jump. The men’s and women’s teams will run in both the 400-meter and the 1,600-meter relays.