CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MAY 22, 2014
Michmerhuizen Takes Second in 10K at NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships
NCAA III TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY ONE REPORT
DELAWARE, OH - Calvin senior Nicole Michmerhuizen claimed the fifth NCAA III All-America berth of her track and field career on Thursday night, placing second in the 10,000 meter run at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University.
Michmerhuizen (Holland/Holland Christian HS) took second with a time of 34:33.75. The time was the second-fastest in Michmerhuizen's career and marked her best time of the 2014 season.
Lenore Moreno of La Verne University (Ca.) took first place with a time of 34:25.29.
Michmerhuizen set a torrid pace, clocking a time of 16:51 through the opening 5,000 meters but Moreno remained right on her heels. With six laps to go, Moreno made a surge, moving past Michmerhuizen and opening up a 65-70 meter lead. Michmerhuizen began to close in the final 400 meters but could not make up the difference in the final stretch.
Moreno came into Thursday's 10K race as the top seed with a time of 33:49 set earlier this year at the Stanford Relays while Michmerhuizen came in seeded fourth at 35:35.
A year ago, Michmerhuizen was the national champion in the 10,000 meters while Moreno was eighth but the 2014 track season has been a big one for Moreno as she took the national title in the 5,000 meters at the 2014 NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships with Michmerhuizen running second in that race.
Competing in her first national meet, Calvin junior Sarah Danner (Watkins Glen, NY/Charles Dickerson HS) took 19th with a time of 37:48.80.
"I thought Nicole ran a brilliant race," said Calvin distance coach Brian Diemer. "She went after it with a tremendous pace but you have to credit Moreno. She is a very talented runner and stuck right with Nicole and held on before she was ready to make a move. To Nicole's credit, she regrouped and came back with a strong final kick. I'm very proud of her and with the way she raced."
Diemer also commented on Danner's race. "This was Sarah's first appearance at track nationals and I am sure she learned some things from tonight," said Diemer. "She has had a breakthrough spring and really stepped up. For her to get to the national meet in a grueling race like the 10,000 meters is a significant achievement and I am confident that she will continue to take strong steps forward next year as a runner."
Michmerhuizen's second place finish was good for eight points and puts the Knights in a tie for sixth place through day one.
Earlier in the day, Calvin junior Steven Haagsma (Grandville/Calvin Christian HS) competed in the 3,000 meter steeplechase prelims and advanced to Saturday's championship finals, clocking in with the 13th-best time of the afternoon in 9:16.32.
"Steven ran a conservative race with the idea of qualifying but not using up too much energy," said Diemer. "He also slipped a little too far back but he qualified and got to where we wanted him to be for Saturday. I think he will definitely run more aggressively on Saturday and has a chance to move up a few places if he puts some things together."
Calvin has no competitors scheduled to compete on Friday but will have a full slate of Saturday events as Michmerhuizen will run in the women's 5,000 meter finals, Haagsma will run in the men's steeplechase final, senior Ben de Waal Malefyt (Midland Park, NJ/Eastern Christian HS) will compete in the men's discus and senior Hilary Banning (Whitinsville, MA/Whitinsville Christian HS) will compete in the women's triple jump.
Received on Thu May 22 23:19:54 2014
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