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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Advancing to the next round was the name of the game for the University of Cincinnati track and field team Thursday as the Bearcats opened competition at the 2016 NCAA East Preliminary Round competition inside Hodges Stadium on the North Florida campus in Jacksonville, Fla. The meet, which serves as the opening round(s) of competition for the NCAA Outdoor Championships (June 8-11, Eugene, Ore.), is designed to take 48 competitors in each event (24 in relays) and work that down to 12 advancing to Oregon.
On the day, six Bearcats had a chance to qualify to Eugene with two - Annette Echikunwoke and Adrian Valles - punching their tickets to the national final in field events. Echikunwoke is moving on in the hammer throw for the women while Valles will be in the pole vault field when he returns to the national meet. A trio of sprinters took to the track in their first-round runs with two of those Bearcats advancing to the 400m dash quarterfinals, the final races to determine the 12 continuing on.
// WOMEN'S RESULTS
- Echikunwoke will make her first appearance at the outdoor national final as she tossed the hammer to 60.98m (200-01) on her second attempt to take fourth-place overall, easily qualifying for a trip to Eugene. Echikunwoke, who opened the meet with a toss of 58.93m (192-04), which had her sitting 11th overall at the time, will look to capture USTFCCCA All-America accolades for the second time this year after finishing eighth in the indoor weight throw in March.
- On the track, Kenya Woodall continued her pursuit of returning to the national final in the 400m dash as she finished third in her heat to automatically advance to the quarterfinals on Friday. Woodall pulled into the Top 3 with under 100m remaining in the race and finished at 52.57, good enough to move her on and rank her 12th overall on the day. Fellow Bearcat Bryana Robinson ran in the same heat and placed 47th overall in the event with her time of 55.94.
- A pair of women took to the long jump runway with Rebecka Abrahamsson finishing 31st overall and Kellsa Mbah taking 40th in the event. Abrahamsson, who is set to compete in the triple jump Saturday afternoon, posted a mark of 5.86m (19-02.75) while Mbah finished with a leap of 5.69m (18-08.00) to cap her season.
// MEN'S RESULTS
- Valles cleared 5.30m (17-04.50) to tie for ninth place and earn his berth into the meet in Eugene. With that qualification, Valles continues to build upon a streak of advancement as he will move from the regional event into the national meet for the second year in a row and will compete in his fourth national event in as many seasons. While in Eugene, Valles also will look to finish among the Top 8 nationally to once again earn USTFCCCA All-America First Team honors as he did last year outdoors and in both indoor championships.
- On the track, Jimmy Brooks did what he needed as he finished third in his heat to earn an automatic qualifying position into the quarterfinals of the 400m dash. Brooks, who ran the 26th-fastest time of the day in 46.87, will now try to advance once again on Friday as he will take on the field from lane three in the first of three heats. In that race, another Top 3 finish automatically will send him to Eugene. If he does not finish in the Top 3, he will then have to be one of the three fastest times recorded among the non-automatic qualifiers to advance.
- Back in the field events, a pair of Bearcats competed in the jumps. First up, Sergio Acera Villanueva posted a mark of 6.99m (22-11.25) and finished 44th overall to cap his season as only the Top 12 move on to the national final. Colt Robinson saw his collegiate career come to a close as he was unsuccessful in his three attempts in the pole vault, bowing out at the opening height of 4.85m.
The second day of competition gets underway at 5 p.m. with a trio of events, including Je'Rica Sanders, Aliya Barnes and Javette Lee in the 100m hurdles first round; Brooke Catherine and Alyssa McBride in the pole vault quarterfinal; and Loretta Blaut and Erika Hurd in the high jump. Following their performances today, both Woodall (6 p.m.) and Brooks (6:15 p.m.) will race in the 400m quarterfinals before Woodall returns to the track at 8 p.m. for the first round of the 200m dash along side Haisha Bisiolu.
Women's Results
NCAA East Preliminary Round (5/26/16) - Day 1
400m Dash - First Round
12. Kenya Woodall - 52.57 - advances to quarterfinal (Friday)
47. Bryana Robinson - 55.94
Long Jump - Quarterfinal
31. Rebecka Abrahamsson - 5.86m (19-02.75)
40. Kellsa Mbah - 5.69m (18-08.00)
Hammer Throw - Quarterfinal
4. Annette Echikunwoke - 60.98m (200-01) - Advances to NCAA Final
Men's Results
The American Outdoor Championships (5/15/16) - Day 4
NCAA East Preliminary Round (5/26/16) - Day 1
400m Dash - First Round
26. Jimmy Brooks - 46.87 - advances to quarterfinal (Friday)
Long Jump - Quarterfinal
44. Sergio Acera Villanueva - 6.99m (22-11.25)
Pole Vault - Quarterfinal
t-9. Adrian Valles - 5.30m (17-04.50) - Advances to NCAA Final
- Colt Robinson - no height