DES MOINES, Iowa — University of Hawai‘i heptathlete Annett Wichmann posted a school-record 5,670 points to finish sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, yesterday, at Drake Stadium. Wichmann’s sixth place finish earns her All-America status and she
DES MOINES, Iowa — University of Hawai‘i heptathlete Annett Wichmann posted a school-record 5,670 points to finish sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, yesterday, at Drake Stadium.
Wichmann’s sixth place finish earns her All-America status and she joins teammates Amber Kaufman and Emily Sheppard, who received All-America status in the high jump on Friday.
The three UH athletes earned the Rainbow Wahine 10 team points during the Championships and UH will post its highest finish ever when the final tally is complete.
Previously, UH had never had more than one All-American at a championship.
“To have three All-Americans is huge, I don’t know how many other schools can say that,” head coach Carmyn James said.
Heading into the second day of the heptathlon, Wichmann stood in 12th place. She slipped in the standings following the day’s first event, placing 21st in the long jump (18 feet, 5 inches).
Wichmann gained ground after the javelin — her best event — with a third-place showing and new heptatlon event personal best throw of 153 feet, 7 inches that moved her up to eighth place.
With sixth place within reach, Wichmann completed the 800-meter run final event with a blistering time of 2:19.18 — fourth best on the day — to cap her best effort in the heptathlon.
“Annett’s pretty happy with her score but there’s always room for improvement,” James said. “Her personal goal was 5,700 which she came within 30 points. If she had a normal shot put yesterday, a mark she usually does in practice, she could’ve finished in third place. But she did so well in some of the other events including the 800.
Going into the event we did the math and knew she needed a certain time to pass the Boston College and Arizona girls. She did it and to jump two spots in the final event is an accomplishment.”
Arizona State’s Jacquelyn Johnson captured her fourth straight NCAA heptathlon title with a total of 6,053 points.
On Friday, Kaufman placed fifth and Sheppard sixth in the high jump.
Hawai‘i’s 10 points all but assures the top finish for a Western Athletic Conference school in this year’s championships.
“All three girls ended the season on a positive note, they all came on strong at the WAC (Championships), regionals and this week,” James said. “But there’s always room for improvement and the girls know that they can do better next season.”
