GULF SHORES, Ala. – Before the backdrop of stormy southern skies, the UBC Thunderbirds had a terrific opening day at the 2022 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama, highlighted by
Rowan Hamilton's record setting hammer throw.
Advancing to the final round, Hamilton launched a 74.21 metre throw, surpassing the previous meet record of 70.46 metres set back in 1992. The feat makes the sophomore from Chilliwack a two-time NAIA hammer champion after his 63.50 metre throw in 2019 earned him a place at the top of the podium.
The opening day of the meet ended early due to severe thunderstorm activity in the area, postponing several events to Thursday and Friday, including the men's and women's 10,000 metre finals.
But before the nasty weather hastened an exit from the stadium early Wednesday evening,
Sage Stoyka Kay also represented UBC on the podium in women's pole vault with a seventh place finish after clearing 3.60 metres.
For the first time in a number of years, the T-Birds have a heptathlon entry and
Rebecca Dutchak had a very strong start, sitting in ninth place with three events remaining. Her total score of 2810 is only 41 points behind fifth place heading into Thursday.
Dutchak started the heptathlon with a 100 metre hurdles personal best time of 14.77, finishing third. She followed up tying for 12
th in the high jump, and a piece of sixth in shot put with another personal best attempt of 10.30 metres, more than a full metre better than her previous top mark. The final heptathlon event of the day saw yet another personal best for Dutchak, this time in the 200 metres when she posted a 26.21.
The women's 4x100 metre relay team easily qualified for Friday's final, winning their heat in 46.24, the second fastest of the eight teams to advance.
Hassy Fashina-Bombata,
Cayla Smith,
Hanna Sobkowich, and
Katherine Lucas finished less than three tenths behind the third heat winners from William Carey.
Lucas had a tremendous opening day of what will be her final NAIA meet, as she also advanced to the women's 200 metre final which is set for Friday afternoon. Her qualifying time of 24.37 in the fastest heat had her finish seventh overall out of 31 competitors.
All three T-Birds who ran in the women's 1500 metre heats advanced to Friday's final. Top ranked
Holly MacGillivray won the first heat while teammate
Rachel Mortimer won the second.
Abby Ylipahkala also automatically qualified finishing third in her heat.
The T-Birds likely would have finished the first day of the meet with more points than they currently hold had the weather not caused the men's and women's 3000 metre steeplechase and the men's and women's 10,000 metres. The storm also caused a delay in the middle of the women's javelin competition which will conclude Thursday. Prior to the delay, all three T-Birds throwers were in podium contention with
Giovanna Janes, JV Patry-Smith, and number one ranked
Hailey Kjaer all showing strongly.
Day two of the meet gets underway Thursday morning with Dutchak continuing the women's heptathlon beginning at 8:30 a.m. PT.
Live streaming of the meet is available
HERE. Live Results are available
HERE.
