The workouts and practice sessions that immediately follow a track meet are not just meant for training,
they are utilized for reflection and correction.
Athletes and coaches reflect on earlier performances and try to remedy imperfections with additional training and practice.
Oregon’s Brittany Hinchcliffe continues to perfect her four-turn hammer throw, even though the junior rewrote the school recordbook in that event and then immediately improved her mark with her next throw.
Teammate Bree Fuqua also has a close relationship with the recordbooks; she has set a new school record in nearly every shotput performance. But after getting edged out in the discus event at last week’s
Pepsi Team Invitational, she’ll
certainly be reflecting on what
needs to be done to stay ahead of
the competition.
Hinchcliffe qualified for Regionals with her incomparable hammer sling of 199 feet and 2 inches.
Fuqua also posted Regional qualifying marks last week in both shotput (53 -11 1/4) and discus (164-8). Individually, the Polson, Mont., native scored 16 points for Oregon in her two events, the second largest contribution to the team.
Lauryn Jordan, who will eventually compete in heptathlons, participated in six total events for the Ducks and accumulated a total of 30 points in her five individual competitions.
She claimed Regional and first place marks in the long jump (19-0 1/2) and triple jump (40-11 3/4). She achieved a personal record in the triple jump that put her at No. 4 on Oregon’s all-time list in that event. Jordan also sprinted to a personal best in the 100 meters (12.43 seconds) but finished fourth in the race.
Javelin thrower Lundeen heptathlete-in-training
Redshirt junior Roslyn Lundeen is another aspiring heptathlete on Oregon’s roster. Lundeen began training for the heptathlon during her redshirt season last year. Until then she was exclusively a javelin thrower. She sustained an injury during the indoor season, limiting her ability to compete in running and jumping events.
“I had a bit of a problem with my foot from high jumping,” said Lundeen, who qualified for Regionals with a 156-5 javelin throw that won the event last week. “It’s not giving me any trouble anymore.”
Lundeen said she and assistant coach Rock Light have not decided when she will start competing in other events.
“I’m just reluctant to have her do everything right now,” Light said.
Right now, Lundeen’s focus is on improving her javelin because she believes that is her most valuable contribution to the team, but she is looking forward to competing in a heptathlon by the end of the season.
Baton juggling causes problems for relay team
Jordan said the hand-off between the first and second 100-meter legs of the 4×100 relay was juggled last week. Light admitted that two of the three exchanges were sloppy, resulting in a third-place finish for Oregon.
“We need to work on execution some more in the 4×100,” he said. “If I could, I’d fire the relay coach, but that’s me.”
The second-year coach said hand-off execution will probably be left on the back burner in this week’s practice.
“All of those girls are going to
be competing, and I may want them
to focus on their individual events,” Light said.
Light is certain that the relay team is strong and said that he has seven capable athletes, and he just has to find the most competitive combination.

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