TicketsCINCINNATI - Although the outdoor track and field season wrapped less than one month prior, several individuals with ties to the University of Cincinnati program have found great success in competitions that were held in their native nations, including Adrian Valles, who recently punched his ticket to the IAAF World Championships in the pole vault. So far, four Bearcats have competed in national championship events with three titles being secured, including two crowns by Ashley Williams (Barbados).
// VALLES GOING TO WORLD MEET
All season (indoor and outdoor), Valles had chased the 5.70m barrier knowing a clearance would earn him a spot in the IAAF World Championships in London. After nearly clearing the height on several occasions during the outdoor season, Valles hit his mark while competing in Europe. On June 28, Valles competed in the Landauer Stabhochsprung Meeting in Landau, Germany, and won the high-level event by clearing 5.70m. That mark, which broke his own school record, helped him defeat some strong competition in the street vault (elevated runway and pit on a street), including former world champion Pawel Wojciechowski (Poland), the 2011 world champion and 2015 third place finisher, and France Olympian Stanley Joseph. With his qualification attained, Valles will now take part in the world meet that will be held August 3-13, and mark his second appearance in the meet after competing in the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing for his native Spain.
// VALLES GRABS SPANISH TITLE
Following his victory in Germany, Valles returned to Spain and competed in the Spanish U23 Championships in Torrent where he easily captured the crown once again. Valles entered the competition at 5.26m with two competitors remaining and cleared on his first attempt. He then cleared his first attempt at 5.31m with the remaining two entrants missing, giving Valles the title. From there, he passed up to 5.50m, which he also cleared on his first attempt to tie the meet record. Valles' final three attempts came at 5.75m, but he was unable to clear a mark that would have been a personal best, a meet record and a Spanish U23 record. With the U23 event in the books, Valles will turn his attention to the Spanish National Championships in Barcelona, July 23-24, before heading to London for the world meet.
// WILLIAMS DOUBLE CHAMP IN BARBADOS
Ashley Williams, who recently completed her first year with the Bearcats after transferring in from Coffeyville Community College, returned home to her native Barbados and captured both throwing events she entered at the Barbados Athletics Championships. Williams easily won the shot put as she her toss of 15.00m (49-02.50) was just over 15' (4.63m) further than the runner-up, who held a best of 10.37m on the day. Then, Williams took gold in the discus as she sent the plate out to 43.98m (144-03) to post another easy victory, this time bettering her next closest competitor by just over 12' (3.74m).
// MITXELENA FARES WELL IN SPAIN
Irati Mitxelena, who just finished her first year with the Bearcats, returned to her native Spain and competed in the Spanish Junior Championships where she captured a pair of silver medals at the meet held in Granollers, Spain, July 8-9. Mitxelena opened the championship meet by taking second in the long jump with a best of 5.65m (18-06.50) before finishing second in the triple jump with a best of 12.74m (41-09.75). She will now turn her sights toward the European U20 Championships that will be held in Grosseto, Italy, July 20-23. Mitxelena is one of 28 entrants into the triple jump and holds the seventh-best personal-best mark ahead of the championships.
// INCOMING PURTSA SOLID IN GERMANY
Maria Purtsa, who is set to join the program this fall, also has fared well in competitions in her native Germany. First, she competed in the German U23 Championships and placed second overall with a best of 13.24m (43-05.25), setting a personal best in the triple jump at the same time. She followed that up two weeks later at the German National Championships with a fifth-place finish in the triple jump as she improved her PR to 13.30m (43-07.75) at the meet on July 9 in Erfurt, Germany.
// VALLES GOING TO WORLD MEET
All season (indoor and outdoor), Valles had chased the 5.70m barrier knowing a clearance would earn him a spot in the IAAF World Championships in London. After nearly clearing the height on several occasions during the outdoor season, Valles hit his mark while competing in Europe. On June 28, Valles competed in the Landauer Stabhochsprung Meeting in Landau, Germany, and won the high-level event by clearing 5.70m. That mark, which broke his own school record, helped him defeat some strong competition in the street vault (elevated runway and pit on a street), including former world champion Pawel Wojciechowski (Poland), the 2011 world champion and 2015 third place finisher, and France Olympian Stanley Joseph. With his qualification attained, Valles will now take part in the world meet that will be held August 3-13, and mark his second appearance in the meet after competing in the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing for his native Spain.
// VALLES GRABS SPANISH TITLE
Following his victory in Germany, Valles returned to Spain and competed in the Spanish U23 Championships in Torrent where he easily captured the crown once again. Valles entered the competition at 5.26m with two competitors remaining and cleared on his first attempt. He then cleared his first attempt at 5.31m with the remaining two entrants missing, giving Valles the title. From there, he passed up to 5.50m, which he also cleared on his first attempt to tie the meet record. Valles' final three attempts came at 5.75m, but he was unable to clear a mark that would have been a personal best, a meet record and a Spanish U23 record. With the U23 event in the books, Valles will turn his attention to the Spanish National Championships in Barcelona, July 23-24, before heading to London for the world meet.
// WILLIAMS DOUBLE CHAMP IN BARBADOS
Ashley Williams, who recently completed her first year with the Bearcats after transferring in from Coffeyville Community College, returned home to her native Barbados and captured both throwing events she entered at the Barbados Athletics Championships. Williams easily won the shot put as she her toss of 15.00m (49-02.50) was just over 15' (4.63m) further than the runner-up, who held a best of 10.37m on the day. Then, Williams took gold in the discus as she sent the plate out to 43.98m (144-03) to post another easy victory, this time bettering her next closest competitor by just over 12' (3.74m).
// MITXELENA FARES WELL IN SPAIN
Irati Mitxelena, who just finished her first year with the Bearcats, returned to her native Spain and competed in the Spanish Junior Championships where she captured a pair of silver medals at the meet held in Granollers, Spain, July 8-9. Mitxelena opened the championship meet by taking second in the long jump with a best of 5.65m (18-06.50) before finishing second in the triple jump with a best of 12.74m (41-09.75). She will now turn her sights toward the European U20 Championships that will be held in Grosseto, Italy, July 20-23. Mitxelena is one of 28 entrants into the triple jump and holds the seventh-best personal-best mark ahead of the championships.
// INCOMING PURTSA SOLID IN GERMANY
Maria Purtsa, who is set to join the program this fall, also has fared well in competitions in her native Germany. First, she competed in the German U23 Championships and placed second overall with a best of 13.24m (43-05.25), setting a personal best in the triple jump at the same time. She followed that up two weeks later at the German National Championships with a fifth-place finish in the triple jump as she improved her PR to 13.30m (43-07.75) at the meet on July 9 in Erfurt, Germany.