Recapping the USA and Jamaican National Meets
6/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
EUGENE, Ore. – Five University of Pittsburgh track and field athletes participated in their respective country’s national track and field meets over the weekend, including the USA and Jamaican National Meets.
Two weeks after hosting the NCAA National Championship Meet, Historic Hayward Field at the University of Oregon was the site for the USA Track and Field National Junior and Senior Championship Meet from June 25-28.
Pitt had three female student-athletes participate in the Junior National Meet including Laila Ismail who made the finals of the 400 meter hurdles.
In the prelims, Ismail finished second in her heat and fifth overall with a new career-best time of 59.35 to advance to the finals. In the finals, Ismail ran a time of 1:00.69 and was eight overall. Ismail’s prelim time broke her previous PR of 59.39 which she set at the ACC Championship Meet back in May.
Melanie Vlasic also had a solid showing as she ran a new career-best of 4:30.87 in the 1,500 meter run and placed sixth overall.
In the women’s hammer throw, Andin Fosam placed 16th overall. Fosam, Ismail and Vlasic all concluded standout freshmen campaigns for the Panthers and will lead the charge for the Panthers entering their sophomore seasons.
In the Senior National Meet (Also at Hayward Field), First Team All-American Desmond Palmer placed 23rd in the 400 meter hurdles in a time of 52.21.
Fellow All-American Evann Thompson was in Kingston, Jamaica, using her dual citizenship to participate in the Jamaican National Championship Meet. Thompson placed fourth in her heat of the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:01.81 and did not advance for the finals.
Coming up this week, senior thrower Ander Wells will participate in the Canadian Senior National Meet in Edmonton, Alberta from July 2-5.
Side Note: Former Panther Brycen Spratling finished sixth overall in the 400 meter dash with a time of 45.35. Spratling has set two world records this season running for Team USA (500 meter dash and the DMR).