June 28, 2009
EUGENE, Ore. - Welsch, who was a multiple-time NCAA All-American during her Nittany Lion career, captured her first-career US Championship after taking runner-up honors at US Olympic Trials in 2004 and 2008. Welsch's gold-medal winning leap of 46-11.00 (14.30) bettered the rest of the field by nearly a foot and a half. Fellow Penn State alum Lena Bettis also competed in the triple jump, finishing 14th overall with a mark of 42-00.75 (12.82).
Current Lion Franek ran a strong race in the steeplechase preliminaries, finishing second in her heat. Franek finished second-to-only NCAA Champion Jenny Barringer in the opening round, and bettered Big Ten rival Nicole Bush, who placed third. Franek will have a day off before taking on competition in the final, set for Sunday, at 1:14 p.m. PDT.
Uzoh posted a brilliant second day performance, including a toss of 152-10 (46.58) - a personal best by over 20 feet. Uzoh opened the day with a finishing time of 15.17 in the 110-meter hurdles - the seventh-fastest time of the day and a career-best over the 39-inch barriers. The freshman would clear 13-05 (4.09) in the pole vault, which was also among the top six performances in the field. Uzoh's final score of 6671 was good for sixth place over the two day competition and was also a lifetime best with junior implements.
Junior Fawn Dorr (Akron, N.Y.) saw a record-setting season come to a close in the 400-meter hurdle semi-finals, where she finished fifth in her heat - just off one of the top four automatic-qualifying spots - and 12th overall in 59.00. Penn State graduate Shana Cox also wrapped up her USA campaign, finishing 11th in the 400-meter semi's, also just off one of the top eight qualifying places.
Action rolls on in Eugene tomorrow, with senior Gayle Hunter (Riverside, Calif.) and volunteer assistant Gigi Johnson getting things going for the Lions in the women's heptathlon, which is set to go at 11:00 a.m. PDT.