FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —
Maribel Caicedo and
Micaela De Mello cruised through their quarterfinal heats in the 100m Hurdles and both advanced to the NCAA Championships semifinals in Eugene, Ore. in two weeks, highlighting the final day at the 2024 NCAA West First Round Saturday at John McDonnell Field.
De Mello, the junior from Palhoca, Brazil, went first as she blazed to a second-place finish in her heat in a wind-aided time of 12.82 seconds. It marked a personal-best time but with a +2.4 wind, does not count toward school records. In the third heat, Caicedo, a graduate student from Guayaquil, Ecuador, recorded the top quarterfinal time Saturday of 12.38 seconds, winning her heat and heading to Eugene as the top qualifier from the West Region. Caicedo's time was also wind-aided with a +3.1 reading, nevertheless, she impressed throughout the week after running a wind-legal 12.49 in Thursday's first round, and now holds nation's top-two times this season, the latter a WSU record.
Saturday began with the 4x100 Relay, where WSU's team of
Maribel Caicedo,
Brooke Lyons,
Jasneet Nijjar and
Skyler Walton were disqualified in Heat 3, along with USC's entry. The two programs, running in adjacent lanes, ran into each other during the final exchange, resulting in USC's runner falling down and not finishing, while the Cougars continued on and completed the race. Following an official review, both teams were disqualified.
In the 3000m Steeplechase, senior
Caroline Jerotich was making her third appearance at the NCAA Championships First Round and completed the event in a time of 10:22.08, seventh in Heat 3 and 16th overall.
Freshman
Maya McCabe, competing in her first appearance at the NCAA Championships First Round, finished eighth in her quarterfinal heat, 24th overall, in 2:16.34. McCabe had qualified for Saturday's race following a season-best 2:06.29 effort in Thursday's first round. In WSU's final race of the event, freshman
Zenah Cheptoo stayed at the front of the pack for the majority of the first heat of the 5000m, finishing her first NCAA Championship in a time of 16:09.45, seventh in the heat and 15th overall.
Up Next:
A four-member WSU contingent of one man and three women track and field athletes head to Eugene, Ore., June 5-8, for the 2024 NCAA Track and Field Championships. Representing the men will be decathlete
Lee Walburn while the women will include
Nana Gyedu (shot put), Caicedo and De Mello in the 100m Hurdles.
For all the latest WSU Track and Field news, photos, and videos, like the team on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wsucougartrack) or follow on Twitter (@ WSUCougarXCTF) and Instagram (@WSUCougarXCTF).
NCAA West First Round – Day 4 WSU Results
4x100 Relay
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Maribel Caicedo,
Brooke Lyons,
Jasneet Nijjar,
Skyler Walton: DQ (Heat 3)
3000m Steeplechase
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Caroline Jerotich: 10:22.08, 16th overall (7th in Heat 3)
100m Hurdles
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Maribel Caicedo, 12.38, 1st overall (1st in Heat 3)
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Micaela De Mello, 12.82, 8th overall (2nd in Heat 2)
800m
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Maya McCabe: 2:16.34, 24th overall (8th in Heat 1)
5000m
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Zenah Cheptoo: 16:09.45, 15th overall (7th in Heat X1)
