[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]
[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday’s severe weather that rolled through Kansas forced the postponement of Thursday’s evening program of the 2017 NJCAA Division I Track and Field Championships
Thursday’s morning session that included the Heptathlon and Decathlon and the men’s and women’s hammer were completed on Thursday.
The severe thunderstorm that rolled in about 6 p.m. forced the championship committee to move Thursday’s evening program.
The altered schedule will now be:
+ Women’s 10,000 meters will be at 7 a.m. on Friday.
+ Men’s 10,000 meters will be at 7:50 a.m. on Friday.
+ Women’s pole vault will be contested on Saturday after the completion of the men’s pole vault.
As of Thursday night, the original Friday schedule will be contested beginning at 9 a.m. with the resumption of the Decathlon and Heptathlon.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Freshman Michael Bryan posted a personal-best throw on Thursday to lead three Hutchinson Community College men’s athletes at the 2017 NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The Blue Dragons had athletes in only one event on a rain-shortened opening day of the national championships at Gowans Stadium and Kansas State Fairgrounds.
Bryan finished 10th in the men’s hammer throw on Thursday at the Fairgrounds. Bryan’s top throw was 161-1.
Right behind Bryan was freshman Nick French, who was 11th at 156-4.
The Blue Dragons will have a much busier Friday, including Trey Teeter in the javelin. Teeter is fourth in the NJCAA coming into the championships with a throw of 183-7.
WOMEN”S TRACK & FIELD
Freshman Hannah Smith had a career day and scored the first points of the NJCAA Division I Track and Field Championships for the Hutchinson Community College women on Thursday at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.
Smith finished fifth in the women’s hammer throw with a distance of 160 feet, 5 inches, a Blue Dragon school record. That mark topped the 2010 record of Leeza Henry.
Her fifth-place finish on Thursday gave the Blue Dragons four points, which puts Hutchinson in fifth place after Day 1.
Smith topped her previous best throw by 9 1/2 feet. She entered the championships ranked 16th in the NJCAA
Freshman Ocean Paul was also to compete on Thursday night in the women’s pole vault. But the evening program was postponed because of severe thunderstorms that rolled through the area on Thursday evening. The women’ pole vault will be contested on Saturday after the completion of the men’s pole vault.
Freshman Alex Rodriguez finished 11th in the women’s hammer. Her top throw was 150 feet, 5 inches. Rodriguez entered the championships ranked 15th in the NJCAA
Friday will have full day of action for the Blue Dragon women’s in the NJCAA Track and Field Championships, including freshman Adriana Janic, who will run her preliminary race in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Janic, the indoor national 60-meter hurdle champion, has the second-fastest time in the nation this season at 13.57 seconds.