Sacramento, Calif. – Virginia Powell of USC broke the collegiate 100-meter hurdle record she shared with Gail Devers by running 12.55 seconds into a brisk headwind in the event’s semifinal round Wednesday, the opening day of the NCAA outdoor track and field championships. Powell, a senior and the event’s defending champion, twice had tied the record of 12.61 set by Devers for UCLA in 1988.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Barringer of the University of Colorado will run in the finals of the 3,000 steeplechase Friday night after qualifying second in her heat. The freshman finished in 10:12.38, one second behind Ebba Stenback of Toledo and the fourth-best time in CU history.
CU’s Brent Vaughn advanced to the finals in the men’s 5,000, qualifying in 14:03.12. He was fourth in the event a year ago.
Air Force senior Dana Pounds and junior Olivia Korte finished in the top 12 to advance to Friday’s finals of their respective field events. Pounds had the third-best javelin throw (162 feet, 11 inches) in her flight, while Korte had the fifth-best discus throw (163-3) in her group. Sarah Stevens, a graduate of Fort Collins High School attending Arizona State, matched Korte’s effort in the second flight and also advanced.
Katie Hansen of Colorado State failed to advance in the discus after a throw of 151-0.
Cassie Ficken, a senior at UNC-Charlotte who starred at Conifer High School, finished eighth in her 5,000-meter heat in 16:22.45 and qualified for the finals. Colorado freshman Liza Pasciuto finished eighth in her group, but her 16:24.52 just missed advancing by one place.
Colorado State’s Kevin John- son is in 14th place after the first day of the decathlon with 3,664 points. He trails the leader, Trey Hardee of Texas, by 647 points.
Chris Helwick, a graduate of Greeley Central attending Tennessee, is eighth with 3,839 points.
Other area athletes failing to advance were: Kevin Hawkins of Air Force (800 meters), Pete Janson of CU (steeplechase), Nate Heyrman of Colorado State (hammer throw), Colin Veldman of Oregon via Fort Collins High School (hammer throw), Bridgette Williams of Arizona State via George Washington High School (400) and Celriece Law of Tennessee via Montbello High (100 hurdles).
