Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
NCAA Championships (Final Round)
Piliusina Nearly Takes National Title in 800 Meters
June 10, 2011 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
June 10, 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa – Oklahoma State freshman Natalja Piliusina narrowly missed the highest achievement in collegiate track and field Friday night, as she was edged out by only 1/100th of a second in the women's 800 meters final at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Drake University.
Piliusina, from Klaipeda, Lithuania, remained near the back of the pack through the first 600 meters before making her nearly successful move for the win. After being forced to take a wide last turn to pass several runners, her final push fell just short as she finished in a school-record time of 2:02.16 behind Oregon's Anne Kesselring, who finished in 2:02.15.
“I still had my legs under me and I felt really good (in the last 150 meters),” Piliusina said. “I was kind of boxed in with 150 to go and I had to go in the third lane and I think that cost me some extra time, but I PR'd so I cannot ask for anything else.”
Not only was Piliusina's time enough for a personal record, but it also broke the school record of 2:03.91 she set earlier this year and gave her USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honors.
Her second-place finish gave the Oklahoma State women 8 team points, the most the Cowgirls have finished with since they matched that score in 2002.
Colby Lowe also competed Friday, finishing 10th in men's 10,000 meters with a time of 29:11.72. That time was his second-best of the year behind only the school-record 28:45.91 he turned in at the Stanford Invitational.
Lowe, a junior from Southlake, Texas, earns USTFCCCA Second-Team All-America honors for his finish.
OSU wraps up its competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday as Tom Farrell runs in the men's 5,000 meters final at 1:21 p.m.
NCAA Championships (Day 3)
Des Moines, Iowa | Drake University | June 10, 2011
Women's 800 Meters (Final)
2 Natalja Piliusina - 2:02.16
Men's 10,000 Meters (Final)
10 Colby Lowe – 29:11.72
