FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Drake University track and field was well-represented at the NCAA West Region Prelims with seven athletes on display. Despite solid performances all around, just two of the seven punched their ticket to Nationals as
Isaac Basten and
Anthony Barmes qualified for the NCAA Championships.
Anthony Barmes competed in a weather-delayed men's hammer throw on Wednesday night. The contest did not get underway until 10:15 p.m. Barmes fired off a throw of 69.07m/226'-7" to place seventh overall and earn a trip to Eugene, Ore. for the NCAA Championships.
Isaac Basten got his week going on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. with the first round of the men's 1500m run. Basten was fourth in his heat and advanced to the quarterfinals with an 11th-place overall finish at 3:41.39. He later punched his return ticket to the NCAA Championships with another 11th-place finish in the quarterfinals. His qualifying time narrowly edged his previous run at 3:41.06.
Other Drake performers included women's hammer throwers Chinewerem Iwuagwu and
Centaine Noom-Duckworth. Iwuagwu recorded a toss of 58.58m/192'-2" for 18th place while Noom-Duckworth, the MVC Champion, came in 22nd with a heave of 57.74m/189'-5".
Emilie Meyer rounded out Drake's women's contingent in the 800m run. She came in 44th with a time of 2:11.06.
On the men's side,
Brogan Giffin joined Basten in the 1500. He took 11th in his heat and 36th overall with a mark of 3:45.06. Elsewhere,
Aziz Jdai notched a top 20 finish in the 3,000m Steeplechase with a run of 8:57.08.
Basten and Barmes will head to Eugene, Ore. for the NCAA National Championships from June 5-8.