As junior Jenny Kenyon practiced Tuesday for the javelin throw — an event she will participate in this Sunday in Berkeley, Calif. — she asked senior all-American Karis Howell for some advice about her release.
You see, Kenyon is not really a javelin thrower. Nor is she a high jumper or a long jumper. But Kenyon will compete in all those events at the Pacific-10 Conference Championship heptathlon this weekend.
This weekend’s heptathlon will kick off the Pac-10 Championships a week early in Berkeley. Oregon will send two representatives — Kenyon and freshman Ann Sullivan — to face some of the nation’s best heptathletes. The athletes compete in the 100-meter hurdles, shot put and high jump Saturday, then the 200, 800, javelin and long jump Sunday.
Kenyon and Sullivan have both endured injuries this season, but both say they are ready to get the Ducks off to a fast start at the Pac-10 Championships.
“They’re both a little banged up,” Oregon head coach Tom Heinonen said. “Jenny was scheduled to compete in the Steve Scott [Invitational last weekend], but we didn’t even take her down there.”
The athletes said that if they do well, it could be a sign of things to come, as the rest of the team will travel down to Berkeley next weekend for the league tourney.
“I think it can set the tone for the rest of the team,” Kenyon said. “Ann and I can get those points. We both compete hard.”
While Kenyon said she is strong in the 200 and the shot put, Sullivan is a hurdler by nature, and cites the 100 hurdles and 200 as her strongest events.
“I’d like to improve in my weak events,” Sullivan said. “I have the capability to score well, I just need to find a way to break through in all my weak events on the same day.”
Kenyon finished fourth at the Pac-10 heptathlon last year with a score of 5,032 points, and sixth in 1999 with 4,432 points. However, with the increased competition at this year’s meet, Kenyon thinks she may need to score as many as 5,400 points to finish in the top-five again.
Kenyon and Sullivan both see the Pac-10s as a last shot at the NCAA provisional list, as well as a scoring meet for the team. The NCAA provisional point total is 5,175 points, while the NCAA automatic mark is 5,500. Kenyon’s personal best is 5,046, while Sullivan’s is 4,792.
The magnificent six
While two Oregon athletes are focusing on the Pac-10 heptathlon, the rest of the team is thinking “there’s no place like home,” because the Ducks will compete in the Oregon Twilight on Saturday at Hayward Field.
One Oregon unit in particular is looking forward to Saturday’s meet because it could be the only one sending six athletes to the Pac-10 meet next weekend. They are the shot put, discus and hammer throwers.
Sophomore Mary Etter, senior Maureen Morrison and sophomore Jordan McDaniels have already qualified for the Pac-10s, while a trio of freshmen could make an impact at the Twilight this weekend. Dani Keyser’s season best in the shot put is less than two feet short of the Pac-10 distance, Jamie Burk is 15 feet short in the hammer and Jill Hoxmeier has thrown 17 feet short in the discus.
“They could all make it to the Pac-10s if they do well,” Morrison said.
