Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Nduwimana, Mikkola capture NCAA titles

Arizona Summer Wildcat

Men's team finishes 6th, women 19th

While the UA coaching staff knew junior Patrick Nduwimana was fast, nobody expected him to shatter his own school record by more than a second and capture the 800-meter title at the NCAA Track and Field National Championships in Durham, N.C.

"Probably, the outstanding performance was Patrick," Arizona head coach Dave Murray said. "A 1:45.08 is a world-class time. We (Murray and sprint coach Fred Harvey) were both very shocked to see those times."

Not to be outdone was UA senior Esko Mikkola, who became just the ninth athlete in NCAA history to win multiple javelin titles.

Mikkola won the title on his first attempt with a throw of 238 feet, 3 inches.

The most surprising placement for the men's team was senior pole vaulter Jeff Dutoit, who placed third in his event.

Dutoit cleared 18-0 on his first attempt and would have won the title had his shirt not grazed the bar on a vault of 18-4, knocking it off and costing him the championship.

"I was really happy with it because a lot of people weren't expecting me to be there," Dutoit said. "Everybody came out and did exactly what they had to do."

With Nduwimana and Mikkola each earning 10 points with their victories and Dutoit six for his third place finish, the men's team earned 26 points, putting them in sixth place overall.

Despite the fact that no UA woman won a national championship, the most inspirational performance at the national championships may have come from sophomore Brianna Glenn.

Glenn finished fourth in the 100m and 17th in the long jump after learning of her father's death just prior to her events.

"Brianna just showed the kind of competitor she is," Murray said. "We all felt for her, we all knew how down she was. I have the most unbelievable respect for what she did."

The women's squad ended with 12 points and tied for 19th place.

Chris Martin can be reached at sports@wildcat.arizona.edu.