Perfect start for IU, 4 by 100 and Steeplers advance
June 8, 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa -- It was just about a perfect start for Indiana on day one of the NCAA Championship. The Hoosiers got a school record and everyone advance through semifinal heats to finals. Tyler Sult, Kind Butler, Chris Vaughn and Devin Pipkin ran a historic race to advance in the 4x100m relay, and Andrew Poore, De'Sean Turner and Andy Weatherford will all run in the finals of the 3,000m steeplechase.
The Hoosier 4x100 was a historic one, as the quartet clinched a spot in the final with a school record of 39.12. By successfully getting the baton around the track in the final, the Hoosiers will finish as All-Americans in the event for the first time since 1971. They broke an IU record set in 1992 by the last Hoosier group to make it to the NCAA meet. The Hoosiers will run in the Saturday final at 1:11 pm ET, live on CBS.
With the top six from two heats and the next two best times advancing, IU got automatic qualifications from Poore and Turner and Weatherford got through with the next best time. Poore finished in 8:44.56 for fourth in heat one with Weatherford taking seventh in 8:49.34. Turner followed that up with fifth in the second heat in 8:49.32. All three will run in the Friday final at 8:30 pm ET, live on CBS College Sports.
Thursday sees Sarah Pease take the track for the IU women in the 3,000m steeplechase at 8:30 pm ET.
The Hoosiers return to action at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, June 9.
