June 6, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The TCU track and field team opened the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Wednesday by advancing four individuals and the women's 4x100 relay teams through the first round of competition at the Alex G. Spanos Athletic Complex on the Sacramento State campus.
With a contingent of seven individuals and four relays qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, TCU advanced each of the four individuals that competed on Wednesday through to the semifinals of their respective events. The Flyin' Frogs also advanced the women's 4x100 relay to the finals, while the men's 4x100 relay team caught a tough break and did not advance to the finals.
"We started off the day on a bad note on the men's 4x100 with Raymond Jones because his block slipped and he stumbled real bad," head coach Darryl Anderson said. "I put a protest in and the protest was denied, so that was a tough start. Overall, we weren't devastatingly bad, but we started off on a sour note and I think on the guy's side that stuck with them. We've got to let it go for tonight and move on to the next day."
TCU's women's 4x100 relay team did not run into the same misfortune as the men, as the team of Kandis Bell, Jamee Jones, Deborah Jones and Virgil Hodge clocked the fourth-fastest time of the day (44.20) en route to qualifying for Friday's event final for the first time since 2004.
TCU finished second in heat No. 2 to Texas (44.08) and qualified fifth overall behind each of the four heat winners. TCU's mark of 44.20 was its third fastest of the season. LSU clocked the fastest time of the day with a 43.26 to win heat No. 4.
"We made it through in the (women's) 4x1," Anderson said. "It wasn't a stellar performance from them and I didn't think we ran well, but we ran well enough to get through to the finals."
In the women's 400 meters, both Deborah Jones and Nathandra John advanced to Friday's semifinal by clocking the seventh and 13th fastest times, respectively.
Jones finished second in the second heat with a time of 52.94 and John finished third in the third heat with a mark of 53.47.
Just like Jones and John in the women's 400 meters, Delwayne Delaney and Justyn Warner each advanced to the semifinals of the 100 meters. Unlike Jones and John, Delaney and Warner each turned in personal-best times, as Delaney clocked a 10.26 and Warner notched a 10.29 to finish second and third, respectively, in heat No. 1 to qualify for the semifinals.
Delaney's previous-best time was a 10.29 at the Horned Frog Invitational on March 24. Warner's previous top time of 10.30 earned him the Midwest Regional title on May 26. Delaney's time qualified him sixth, while Warner qualified 12th.
Unfortunately, neither Delaney or Warner could carry their momentum into the semifinals, however, as both were unable to advance to Friday's finals. In the semifinals, Warner finished 14th (10.35), while Delaney finished 17th (10.43).
"They (Delaney and Warner) ran well in the first race and didn't run well in the semifinals, but it was breaking new ground for both of them from the standpoint of getting to the semifinals," Anderson said. "You could see that both of them were pressing and trying to force the issue. I thought both of them would make it to the finals, but I still think they are both two of the better sprinters here, and there are a lot of good sprinters here."
TCU's men's 4x100 relay team of Raymond Jones, Delwayne Delaney, Justyn Warner and Dell Guy were dealt a tough break at the start of the second heat, as Jones' starting block slipped at the gun, which forced the Frogs to play catch up the rest of the heat.
TCU was able to battle back and finish third in the heat, but did not advance to the final after finishing 12th overall with a time of 40.24. Only the three heat winners followed by the top-five times advanced to the finals.
"I put a protest in and the protest was denied, so that was kind of disappointing for the guys because I think that if we don't have that one mistake in there - that is out of his control - we make the finals," Anderson said.
TCU's Results - Wednesday
MEN
100 meters (prelims) - Delwayne Delaney (10.26pr)^
Justyn Warner (10.29pr)^
100 meters (semis) - Justyn Warner (10.35)
Delwayne Delaney (10.43)
4x100 relay (semis) - (Raymond Jones, Delwayne Delaney, Justyn Warner, Dell Guy) 40.24
WOMEN
400 meters (prelims) - Deborah Jones (52.94)^
Nathandra John (53.47)^
4x100 relay (semis) - (Kandis Bell, Jamee Jones, Deborah Jones, Virgil Hodge) 44.20*
^ - Advanced to semifinals
* - Advanced to finals
TCU's Remaining Schedule
Thursday
5:50 p.m. - Women's 200 First Round (Hodge)
6:30 p.m. - Women's 400 hurdles First Round (Paul)
7:35 p.m. - Women's 200 Semifinal
8:45 p.m. - Men's 4x400 Semifinal
9:10 p.m. - Women's 4x400 Semifinal
Friday
3:45 p.m. - Men's triple jump qualifying (Jackson)
6:40 p.m. - Women's 4x100 Final
8:05 p.m. - Women's 400 Semifinal (D. Jones, John)
8:55 p.m. - Women's 400 hurdles Semifinal
Saturday
12:00 p.m. - Men's triple jump Final
12:12 p.m. - Women's 400 hurdles Final
12:44 p.m. - Women's 400 Final
12:58 p.m. - Women's 200 Final
1:36 p.m. - Men's 4x400 Final
1:48 p.m. - Women's 4x400 Final
