Camryn Rogers (hammer) and Iffy Joyner (discus) earn NCAA Championship berths
Rogers will get to defend her NCAA title from 2019
From College Station, Texas over the past few days, 18 Cal Track and Field student-athletes competed for berths in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 9-12. They had to finish in the top-12 of the NCAA West Regional to advance.
Two Golden Bears will compete in the official final Cal Athletics event of the 2020-21 school year in two weeks. Junior Camryn Rogers and sophomore Iffy Joyner will represent Cal at the NCAA Championships.
Camryn Rogers won the NCAA West Preliminary hammer throw with a facility record toss of 72.16m (236-9). She should be considered the favorite in Eugene in 1.5 weeks. The NCAA East Preliminary winner is South Alabama senior Autavia Fluker with a 70.02m (229-9).
Rogers’ true target may be the NCAA Championship record of ASU’s Maggie Ewen in 2017 of 73.32m (240-7) or her collegiate record of 74.53 m set in 2018. The world record for women’s hammer throw was set by Anita Włodarczyk who threw 82.98 m (272-2.75) in 2016. Rogers won the 2019 NCAA title with a toss of 71.50m (234-7). Rogers’ career-best throw came earlier this year when she achieved 73.09 meters (239-9) at a meet in Eugene, the same site as the NCAA Championships this year.
After the NCAA, the next goal for Camryn Rogers would be the Canadian Olympic Trials at the end of June from Montreal. Rogers hopes to become a first-time Canadian “Calympian” for the Tokyo Games.
Down to his last shot to improve from 14th place, Iffy Joyner threw the discus 56.91m (186-8) to claim 6th place at the NCAA West Preliminary and book a return trip to the NCAA Championship. Joyner finished 18th at the NCAA back in 2019.
The NCAA West winner was Turner Washington of ASU who tossed the discus a distance of 64.87m (212-10) for a facility record. Two discus chunker out East exceeded 65m; they are Francois Prinsloo of South Alabama 65.85m (216-0) and Claudio Romero of Virginia 65.78m (216-10). So the probability of Iffy Joyner winning this event in two weeks is not very high.
Kudos to Cal throws coach Mohamad Saatara for getting two Cal Bears to the NCAA!
Other Bears came close to qualifying as well. Cal sophomore Jasmine Blair just missed out on the NCAA when her personal best hammer throw of 61.21m (200-10) was only 14th best at this meet. Also fell just several meters short were Ivar Moisander’s 13th place finish, a PR of 64.32m/211-0, in men’s hammer throw. Josh Johnson also narrowly missed out on advancing with his 14th place finish in shot put (18.97m/62-3; 32).
On track, Cal women had two other near-misses as the 4x100 relay placed 13th and Deshae Wise placed 16th in 100m hurdles.
Ezinne Abba set a new school record in 100m on her qualifying run on Thursday but had a slower time on Saturday’s final to finish 23rd.
Below are the full results of the Golden Bears:
Wednesday's Results
MEN
Hammer Throw: 13. Ivar Moisander, 64.32m/211-0 (PR)
Shot Put: 14. Josh Johnson, 18.97m/62-3; 32. Jeff Duensing, 17.66m/57-11.25
1,500-Meters: 41. Garrett MacQuiddy, 3:51.34
400-Meters: 37. Henry Larkin, 47.60
800-Meters: 35. Moises Medrano, 1:51.93; 44. Garrett MacQuiddy, 1:53.91
Thursday's Results
WOMEN
Hammer Throw: 1. Camryn Rogers, 72.16m/236-9; X. Anna Purchase, FOUL
100-Meter Hurdles: 17. Deshae Wise, 13.17Qw
1,500-Meters: 40. Annie Boos, 4:32.41
100-Meters: 16. Ezinne Abba, 11.30QSR; 32. Maisie Stevens, 11.54w
200-Meters: 37. Ezinne Abba, 23.58 (PR)
Friday's Results
MEN
Discus Throw: 6. Iffy Joyner, 56.91m/186-8q; 32. Josh Johnson, 53.08m/174-2
WOMEN
Hammer Throw: 14. Jasmine Blair, 61.21m/200-10 (PR)
Saturday's Results
WOMEN
High Jump: 37. Hawa Wague, 1.67m/5-5.75
Discus Throw: 37. Jasmine Blair, 47.68m/156-5; 42. Krissy Smoot, 45.39m/148-11
4x100 Relay: 13. California, 44.73
Triple Jump: 34. Asha Fletcher, 12.49m/40-11.75
3,000-Meter Steeplechase: 25. Annie Boos, 10:22.12
100-Meter Hurdles: 16. Deshae Wise, 13.38
100-Meters: 23. Ezinne Abba, 11.87
GO BEARS!