May 15, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - San Diego State juniors Kristin Olafsdottir and Shana Watson completed the heptathlon on day two of the 2008 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at TCU's Lowdon Track and Field Complex on Thursday. Olafsdottir maintained her fourth-place position after she earned 5,342 points, while Watson moved up two places from her day-one spot of seventh to finish in fifth place with 5,050 points.
Both Aztecs provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships for a second time this season and Olafsdottir currently ranks 22nd in the nation in the multi-event after posting her highest point total of 2008.
In the first of the final three scheduled events of the heptathlon, Watson picked up where she left off from Wednesday when she was the runner-up in the 200-meter dash by winning the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 8.25 inches. Her effort was not only a season best, but was her longest jump since 2006 and secured her a spot among the field at the NCAA West Regionals in the event. Olafsdottir, meanwhile, placed fourth with a jump of 18-2.25, which matched her 2007 best and was her top performance since her freshman campaign.
In the remaining field event, the Aztec duo competed in the javelin throw with Watson logging the farthest throw between the two at 117 feet, 7 inches to come in fourth. Olafsdottir finished one place lower in fifth with a toss of 109-1.
With one event left, the field of nine returned to the track for the 800-meter run as Olafsdottir put forth her best effort of 2008 and registered her fastest time since 2006. The junior crossed the finish line in 2 minutes, 14.24 seconds to come in second, just .08 seconds behind 800 winner Meaghan Peoples of TCU. Watson also finished strong with her lifetime-best effort of 2:32.34.
After one scored event, San Diego State finds itself in third place with nine points behind Colorado State (15) and New Mexico (10).
Day three of the MWC Championships is set for Friday beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT.
Mountain West Conference Championships
Lowdon Track and Field Complex (Fort Worth, Texas)
Heptathlon Results
1. Sandy Fortner (New Mexico) - 5,641 points
2. Emily Pearson (Colorado State) - 5,605
3. Katie Lloyd (Colorado State) - 5,398
4. Kristin Olafsdottir (San Diego State) - 5,342
5. Shana Watson (San Diego State) - 5,050
6. Meaghan Peoples (TCU) - 4,974
7. Chelsi Petersen (Brigham Young) - 4,883
8. Kristen Kugler (Colorado State) - 4,751
9. Danielle McCarty (Air Force) - 4,411
DNF. Mindy Robins (Brigham Young)
Team Standings (one event scored)
1. Colorado State - 15 points
2. New Mexico - 10
3. San Diego State - 9
4. TCU - 3
5. Brigham Young - 2
t6. Air Force - 0
t6. UNLV - 0
t6. Utah - 0
t6. Wyoming - 0