Track: Four To Compete At National Meets
June 24, 2009 02:25 PM | General
June 24, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Four members of the West Virginia University track and field team will be competing this weekend in the U.S. Senior Nationals and the Canadian Nationals track and field meets.
Junior Clara Grandt will compete at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Eugene, Ore., while Marie-Louise Asselin, Jessica O’Connell and Katelyn Williams will travel to Toronto to compete in the Canadian Championships. Both meets begin on Thursday, June 25 and conclude on Sunday, June 28.
“I’m excited for all four of these athletes because they will get the chance to compete on a world stage,” comments Coach Sean Cleary. “To race in such an elite event will provide them with experience and serve as extra motivation to continue to get better at their sport.”
Grandt, who is coming off of an All-America performance at the NCAAs will be competing in the 10,000-meter event. Grandt’s race is scheduled for 7:50 p.m. PT. on Thursday, June 25.
“I’m really excited for the race and the experience,” comments Grandt. “Coming from the NCAAs and having a couple weeks to train has been a big challenge but I’m ready.”
Asselin is looking for redemption after failing to finish at the NCAA Championships because of a health issue. Healthy and ready to run, Asselin will run the 5,000-meter event also on June 25th at 8:05 p.m.
Joining Asselin will be O’Connell, who will run the 1,500-meter event. The semi-final race is set for Saturday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m.
Williams will also compete at the Canadian Championships in the high jump, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 28, at 11:30 a.m.
The top three finishers in the U.S. National meet will qualify for the World Track and Field Championships in Berlin, Germany to be held later this summer. A combination of time and place finished will qualify the athlete’s competing in the Canadian Championships for the same World Championships.
For up-to-date results and schedules, log onto the U.S. site at www.usatf.org, or the Canadian site at www.athletics.ca/toronto2009.
