GULF SHORE, Ala. – Eastern Oregon University’s Brian Wickham earned All-American honors on day one of the 2014 NAIA Outdoor National Championships, as he placed fifth in the men’s hammer throw. He was the only All-American on day one and Lucas Updike advanced to the finals of the 3,000 meter steeplechase on day one.
Earning the first All-American honors for Eastern Oregon at the 2014 NAIA Outdoor National Championships was Brian Wickham. Wickham finished fifth in the men’s hammer throw with a throw of 58.24 meters (191-01).
After his first two throws, Wickham was sitting in sixth place, and on his third throw it landed just shy of his lifetime best. His third throw secured him a spot in the finals, as he recorded a throw of 55.90 meters. In the finals, he jumped to third place after recording his lifetime best of 57.39 meters. He continued to improve on his lifetime best on his next throw as he recorded throws of 58.24 meters (191-01) to finish in fifth place.
Advancing to Saturdays finals was Lucas Updike in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. Updike used a strong finish to the race to finish third in his heat. He finished with a time of 9:24.96, which was three hundredths of a second away from the winner of the heat.
Irene Olivo finished 10th place in the women’s 400 meter hurdles in a time of 1:02.86, which is the second fastest in EOU school history. She was one tenth of a second away from qualifying for finals as the eighth place finisher finished in a time of 1:02.76.
The women ‘s 4x100 meter relay team used crisp baton handoffs to run their second fastest time in school history to place 12th overall in a time of 47.45. EOU missed the finals by just over four tenths of a second as eighth place was 47.00.
Talitha Fagen just missed placing in Pole Vault as she finished ninth with a height of 3.55 meters (11-7 ¾). Fagen missed finishing in tie for seventh as she recorded one miss on her opening height of 3.40 meters.
EOU returns to action on day two of the 2014 NAIA Outdoor National Championships at 12 p.m. tomorrow with the women’s 800 meter run. Also competing tomorrow is the Men’s 800 meter run, Women’s 400 meter run, Men’s 5,000 meter run and the Men’s discus.