June 28, 2014
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -
San Diego State's Allison Reaser broke her own school and Mountain West record in the heptathlon en route to a seventh-place finish at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Saturday in Sacramento, Calif.
Reaser, who was in ninth after the first four events yesterday, set personal records today in two of her three events - long jump and 800 meters - to finish in seventh with 5,917 points. The 5,917 points broke her previous best of 5,836, set at the NCAA Championships earlier this month in a runner-up finish. The 5,917 points over the past two days would have won the NCAA heptathlon by 63 points.
"This was my fourth USA Championship, so I was pretty comfortable," Reaser said. "I kept focusing on myself and trying to control what I could control. I just went out there and did my best. I give all glory to God."
Reaser began the final day by tying for first in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 4 ½ inches (6.21 meters). The 20-04.50 was the third-best leap in school history.
"I knew I had a big (long jump) in me," Reaser said. "My goal always has been to jump over six meters and today I easily did that. It was exciting to get that mark."
Next up was the javelin throw, where Reaser finished 11th with a toss of 122-00 (37.20m).
Reaser ended the day in the 800, setting a PR with a time 2 minutes, 11.10 seconds. The 2:11.10 was the fifth-fastest time in the competition and was almost a second faster than her previous best time of 2:12.08.
"I knew going in that there would be a big pack up front," Reaser said. "I wanted to end my career with a PR in my last time wearing an Aztec jersey. The race really set up nicely for me and I ended my college career on a high note."
Reaser finished her SDSU career as a five-time USTFCCCA All-American, a nine-time MW champion (five indoor titles, four outdoor titles) and with two school records.
"I wanted to make Coach (Shelia) Burrell proud," Reaser said. "I love seeing her happy and I especially wanted to see her happy today. I'm proud to be an Aztec and to represent San Diego State."
Sharon Day-Monroe (Asics) won the meet with 6,470 points, while Barbara Nwaba (Santa Barbara Track Club) and Erica Bougard (Unattached) took second and third, respectively, at 6,307 and 6,118.
Whitney Ashley, who won the discus throw at the 2012 NCAA Championships when she was an Aztec, will be competing in the event at 11:45 a.m. PT Sunday. Ashley is seeded second out of the 18 entrants with a mark of 209-03 (63.78m). Ashley will be competing unattached.
Shanieka Thomas, meanwhile, will be participating in the triple jump at the Jamaican National Championships Sunday in Kingston, Jamaica. Thomas, who on Tuesday was named a semifinalist for The Women's Bowerman Trophy, which is given out to the top collegiate track and field athlete in the country, begins her triple jump at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT). Thomas capped her collegiate career earlier this month with her third consecutive triple jump title at the NCAA Championships (also 2014 indoor and 2013 outdoor) after being the runner-up in the previous two (2013 indoor and 2012 outdoor) with a season-best leap of 45-11.25 (14.00m). Thomas was undefeated against collegiate competition over the entire 2014 indoor and outdoor season.
2014 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Hornet Stadium - Sacramento, Calif.
June 28, 2014
Individual Results
Heptathlon (after 7 of 7 events) (out of 14 entrants)
1. Sharon Day-Monroe (Asics) - 6,470
7. Allison Reaser (SDSU) - 5,917 (school/Mountain West record)