TicketsJune 24, 2011
CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati assistant track coach Mary Wineberg placed eighth in the women's 400-meter dash finals Saturday to lead a quartet of Bearcats who competed at the 2011 USA Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Wineberg, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, placed third in Heat 4 (ninth overall) in the preliminary round of the women's 400-meter dash with a mark of 52.62 seconds. The third-place finish qualified her for spot in the semifinals of the women's 400-meter dash, where she recorded an eigth-place finish Friday with a mark of 52.40 to advance to the finals. She ran a 52.26-second mark Saturday to finish eighth overall in the U.S. in 2011.
Freshman Mary Bridges (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted) placed sixth overall in the junior division's women's discus throw with a mark of 46.41 meters (152 feet, 3 inches). Bridges was 1.6 meters (5 feet, 3 inches) from finishing in the top two, which would've qualified her for a spot on the U.S. Junior National Team that is set to compete in the 2011 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in July.
"Mary Bridges did an outstanding job competing on this big stage for the first time," said UC women's head coach Susan Seaton. "We are pleased that she was able to come away with a very good sixth-place finish."
Antione Drakeford placed sixth in Heat 4 (22nd overall) of the men's 400-meter dash after finishing in 46.88 seconds. Drakeford, the UC record holder in the men's 400-meter dash, was 0.09 seconds from advancing to the semifinals.
Junior All-American hurdler Terrence Somerville (Akron, Ohio/Butchel) placed 12th overall in the preliminary round of the men's 110-meter hurdles Friday with a mark of 13.47 seconds to advance to Saturday's semifinals. The 2011 BIG EAST Conference's Most Outstanding Athlete also recorded a 13.47-second mark in the semifinals to place again place 12th overall. Somerville was 0.10 seconds from advancing to the finals.