Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
NCAA Finals
Piliusina, Fernandez Advance at NCAA Championships
June 07, 2012 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
June 7, 2012
DES MOINES, Iowa – The Oklahoma State track team saw two of its most decorated runners advance through the 1,500 meter semifinal races on Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, hosted by Drake University.
For the women, sophomore Natalja Piliusina advanced to the 1,500 meter final after placing third overall and first in heat two with a time of 4:12.55. She patiently moved to the front of the pack during the final half of the race and sprinted ahead in the last 100 meters to win the heat.
“She has a real competitive drive,” coach Dave Smith said. “She was in probably third or fourth – and the top five make it automatically – but that wasn't good enough for her. If there's someone in front of her, she wants to beat them, even if it's a prelim. She beat a lot of really good girls in that prelim.”
On the men's side, senior German Fernandez earned a trip to the final race with a fifth-place finish in the first heat after running a season-best 3:40.19. The top five finishers in both heats automatically advance to the final race, along with the next two fastest times from either heat.
Fernandez was in the most competitive heat, as the top eight finishers in his heat had the top eight overall finishes, and first through fifth place in that race was separated by a mere .35 seconds. Fernandez won the NCAA Championship in this event as true freshman in 2009, and his time Thursday evening is just 1.19 seconds off of his championship time, which is the second-best effort in the 1,500 meters in OSU history.
“He was in the fast heat because he made it the fast heat,” Smith said. “He went out and decided that he was going to go out and make that honest pace, and if they were going to beat him, they were going to have to work at it. It's a really tough, gutsy way to run.
“I was really proud of him. I really appreciate the way he approached that race. He led 1,400 meters of the 1,500 meter race, and he held on to that fifth spot.”
Piliusina and Fernandez will return to the track Saturday morning, with the men's final race scheduled for 11:17 a.m. and the women's final slotted for 11:28 a.m.
Cowboy freshman Fabian Clarkson just missed advancing to the 3,000 meter steeplechase final. The top five from both heats along with the next four fastest times from either heat advance – a total of 14 athletes – and Clarkson finished 15th overall with a time of 8:45.96. That mark is a new personal best and ranks fifth all-time at OSU.
Despite not making the final race, assistant coach Bobby Lockhart, who works with the steeplechase runners, had nothing but praise for Clarkson's effort.
“Honestly, I'm extremely proud of Fabian,” Lockhart said. “He raced well and did everything he could do, but, unfortunately, in the second heat, they had nine guys faster and he missed qualifying by a second.
“There wasn't really anything else he could've done. He ran a great race and set a P.R. by a second. I'm extremely proud of him. He ran with a lot of determination, and he's always running with a competitive spirit.”
OSU will continue competition at the NCAA Championships tomorrow, starting with Nick Miller in the hammer throw at 2 p.m., Toni Young will follow in the high jump at 4:30 p.m. and Girma Mecheso will run the 5,000 meters at 7:10 p.m.
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
June 7, 2012 | Des Moines, Iowa | Drake University
Women's 1,500 meters (Semifinal)
3. Natalja Piliusina – 4:12.55
Men's 1,500 Meter Run (Semifinal)
5. German Fernandez – 3:40.19
Men's 3,000 Meter Steeplechase (Semifinal)
15. Fabian Clarkson – 8:45.96
