Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
NCAA Midwest Regional Championships
Fernandez Wins 1,500m NCAA Regional Championship
May 30, 2009 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
May 30, 2009
NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma State freshman German Fernandez punched his ticket to the 2009 NCAA Track and Field Championships with a time of 3:43.09 in the 1,500 meter finals Saturday that was good for a first-place finish in the race. Fernandez joins OSU teammates Ryan Vail (men's 5,000 meters) and Merritt Dietz (women's discus throw) as Pokes who qualified for the national meet by virtue of their performances at the NCAA Regional Championships this weekend.
Fernandez stayed with the pack in third place throughout the race, until he pulled away in the final lap to win comfortably by more than two seconds. Minnesota's Ben Blankenship was the next closest finisher at 3:45.37.
"The race went out pretty slow and I wanted to be able to close," Fernandez said. "I haven't had to do that yet and I got the chance today and it worked out well. I thought I was out there doing pretty well then I got cut off twice. Overall though, it was a good race and I feel good about going to NCAAs."
Fernandez will now compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He did not compete at the Indoor Championships, instead electing to compete at the World Cross Country Championships.
"German ran a great race," coach Dave Smith said. "We wanted to go at about 600 meters but the race was a harder race and he waited until about 300 meters. He ran a hard race and still had a good finish. This gives us more data going into the NCAA Championships because we now know more about what German is capable of."
An Oklahoma State school record was obliterated Saturday when Baiba Blumbaha leaped 13.02 meters in her first effort in the triple jump. Blumbaha's mark shattered her previous personal-best mark of 12.69 meters and was far superior than the existing school record of 12.89 meters set by Paula Ogunbanjo at the 2005 Big 12 Championships. Entering the weekend, only 17 jumpers in the nation had cleared 13 meters this outdoor season. Though Blumbaha's mark will go down as the best in OSU history, it was not enough to advance her to the event finals or qualify her for the NCAA Championships this weekend. She may earn an at-large berth into the NCAA Championships when that announcement is made Tuesday.
Fellow Cowgirl triple-jumper Clarissa Andrews was also in action Saturday, but did not advance past the preliminaries with her 12.07-meter effort that placed her 23rd in the field.
Dietz, who qualified for the NCAA Championships in the discus throw yesterday, competed in the shot put Saturday and did not advance past the preliminary heat with a mark of 15.16 meters. That mark was far shy of her season best of 15.47 meters and her personal best of 15.74 meters. Dietz fouled on the first two of her three attempts and was forced to settle for her 15.16 meter effort.
David Chirchir rounded out the Oklahoma State contingent competing Saturday with a 12th-place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase in 9:14.99. He did not qualify for the NCAA Championships this weekend but may earn an at-large berth when the announcement comes Tuesday.
The NCAA Championships are set for June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark.
NCAA Midwest Regional Championships
Oklahoma State Saturday results
Men's 1,500 meter finals
1. German Fernandez - 3:43.09
Men's 3,000 meter steeplechase
12. David Chirchir - 9:14.99
Women's Shot Put
12. Merritt Dietz - 15.16 meters
Women's Triple Jump
10. Baiba Blumbaha - 13.02 meters
23. Clarissa Andrews - 12.07 meters
Players Mentioned
