ISLE FILE
Two 'Bows finish ninth in NCAA discus, heptathlon
Advertiser Staff
University of Hawai'i discus thrower Novelle Murray and heptathlete Annett Wichmann placed in the top 10 of the their respective events at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships yesterday at Sacramento State's Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex in Sacramento, Calif.
Murray finished ninth in the discus finals while Wichmann was ninth in the heptathlon.
"They both finished in the top 10 which is a great achievement and says something about where our program is headed," UH head coach Carmyn James said.
Murray, a senior from Surrey, British Columbia, was seeking the program's first national championship since Gwen Loud captured the long jump title in 1984. One of 12 athletes competing in the final, Murray's initial throw of 164 feet, 9 inches got her into the final nine but she failed to better that mark on her next three attempts.
Kelechi Anyanwu of California won the event with a throw of 188-11.
Wichmann, a junior from Jena, Germany, tallied 5,649 points in the seven-discipline event, shattering her previous best by 92 points, set last month in her gold medal winning performance at the Western Athletic Conference Championship in Fresno, Calif.
Wichmann, who began the day tied for ninth, started with a sub-par mark of 17-8 3/4 in the long jump, which dropped her six spots to 15th overall. She rebounded in the javelin, her strongest event, with the day's third-best throw of 146-11, moving her up to 10th.
In the final event, the 800-meter run, Wichmann had a heptathlon event best of 2:19.40, the eighth fastest time.
Defending champion Jacquelyn Johnson of Arizona State won with a total of 5,984 points.
SURFING
KAUA'I'S BARCA THIRD
Dustin Barca of Kaua'i tied for third place in the SriLankan Airlines Pro yesterday at Dhonveli Beach, Maldives.
Barca was eliminated in the semifinals by Australia's Jarrad Howse. Brazil's Heitor Alves defeated Howse in the final.
Barca received $3,500. Joel Centeio of Makakilo was eliminated in the quarterfinals and received $2,450.
The contest was part of surfing's World Qualifying Series.
BASEBALL
PUNAHOU RANKED 23RD
Four-time Hawai'i state baseball champion Punahou School is ranked No. 23 in the USA Today Super 25 rankings.
Punahou (29-3) also is ranked No. 8 in the West Region.
The Super 25 rankings are compiled by Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of prep sportswriters, scouts and coaches. Among criteria considered are a school's strength of schedule, quality of competition in its state or league and quality of its players.
The rankings are not final as five teams are still playing. Sixteen have won state, sectional or conference championships.
Seton Hall Prep of West Orange, N.J., (31-1) is No. 1 and West Lauderdale of Collinsville, Miss., (38-2) is No. 2
GOLF
SAMPLE SALE TODAY
The Hawai'i Golf Representatives Association Golf Sample Sale will be today from 9 a.m. to noon at Washington Middle School's cafeteria (1633 King St.). Equipment, accessories and apparel will be on sale.
