Arizona freshman Jordan Geist earned All-American honors in track and field Wednesday by finishing fifth in the shot put at the NCAA outdoor championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Another UA freshman, Maksims Sincukovs, ran his season-best time of 50.49 to qualify for Fridayβs final race in the 400-meter hurdles. He had the seventh-best time in the event. Sincukovsβ best time is 50.35, set last August in Europe.
Bailey Roth in the steeplechase and Collins Kibet in the 800 meters β both running their final races in a UA uniform β were way off their personal bests and did not advance to the finals.
Geist got off a strong toss of 66 feet, 8 inches on his second attempt that placed him in second place at the end of the first round of throws. That was just 3Β½ inches off his best mark for the outdoor season.
The Pennsylvania-born thrower did not improve his mark on his final three attempts while three competitors jumped ahead of him on their fifth or final throws.
UA throwers coach T.J. Crater said he felt good about the results, but both he and Geist had held higher expectations.
βMaking first team All-American at this level of competition is a great achievement, especially for a freshman,β Crater said. βNext year, Jordan knows he has to execute his throws better to give him a chance to win a national championship.β
Geistβs fifth place scored four points for the UA team.
Geist threw 70 feet, 4Β½ inches on Jan. 26, early in the indoor season, which is still the furthest throw this year by the collegian.
Denzel Comenentia, a Georgia junior, threw 67-7Β½ on his fifth throw to win the shot put. He also won the hammer throw to give his team 20 points and the team lead with six of the 21 events completed.
On Thursday, the UA 400-meters and the 1,600-meter relay teams will be in action as the womenβs competition gets under way.
The remainder of the menβs events will take place Friday. The UAβs Bryant OβGeorgia will compete in the high jump and both Geist and Turner Washington will be in the running in the discus.
