Oregon sophomore-to-be Rebekah Noble highlighted a contingent of current, former and soon-to-be Ducks at the USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis last Wednesday through Sunday.
Noble claimed her second straight 800-meter title at the event, earning her a spot on the U.S. team at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Bejing, China, held Aug. 15-20.
The top two finishers in each junior event are guaranteed spots on the U.S. team at the World Junior Championships.
Her time of 2 minutes, 5.05 seconds was almost three seconds slower than her personal best, but it was still quicker than second-place finisher Shannon Leinert (2:05.80).
Coming off a season when she won titles in the NCAA, West Regional and Pacific-10 Conference Championships, Noble currently ranks fourth all-time in the 800 at Oregon.
Teammate Tommy Skipper, who was named the Pac-10 Men’s Field Athlete of the Year, tied for third place at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships after clearing a height of 18-4 1/2 in the pole vault.
Oregon’s Megan and Matthew Maloney opened the competition with top-five finishes in throwing events. Megan Maloney’s second-place finish in the hammer (170-2) earned her a spot to compete in the 2006 World Junior Championships. Twin brother Matthew
Maloney finished in fifth place in the javelin (200-1), but was less than five and a half feet from a second-place finish.
Steven Johnson placed fifth in the hammer (191-9).
Ashley McCrea finished third in the javelin with a best of 150-5 on her first attempt. She was only two inches behind second place.
At the USA Outdoor Track and Field Chamionships, Oregon throwers Britney Henry and Brittany Hinchcliffe finished seventh and 21st, respectively, in the hammer. Henry’s best throw of 212-2 came on her third attempt, while Hinchcliffe’s longest throw of 184-11 came on second attempt.
In other senior action, Lauryn Jordan placed 15th in the long jump with a best of 19-9 3/4. On the men’s side, Eric Mitchum ranked 28th overall in the 110-meter hurdles (14.18) and Michael McGrath finished 24th in the 1,500 with a time of 3:52.57.
Four incoming freshmen nabbed top-10 finishes in the junior 1,500. A.J. Acosta
from Oceanside, Calif., won the event (3:45.95) while future teammates Kenny Klotz (seventh, 3:52.35), Andrew Wheating (eighth, 3:54.28) and Isaac Stoutenburgh (10th, 3:55.81) rounded out the Ducks in the field.
Future Duck Diego Mercado won the junior 10,000 with a time of 31:36.35, while Stoutenburgh finished 12th with (34:07.12).
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