SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Two Augustana track athletes have qualified for the USA Junior Track and Field Championships scheduled for June 23-27 in Des Moines, Iowa. Current Vikings
Aduo Omot and
Kyle Blakeslee both recorded qualifying times in their respective events. Participants cannot turn 20 years old during 2010.
Omot, who was a freshman with the Augustana track and field program this past season, will compete in the 800-meter run. The Worthington, Minn., native enters the championships with the No. 2 seed after running a personal best of 1 minute, 49.46 seconds during the spring season. Omut placed sixth in the 800-meter run at the Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the spring, earning him All-America honors.
Semifinals for the 800-meter run are on Thursday, while the final is on Friday.
Blakeslee qualified in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter run—earning the No. 3 seed in each of those events. Blakeslee, who was a freshman this past season, enters with a time of 10:43.14 in the steeplechase and 17:15.28 in the 5,000-meter run. A native of Cannon Falls, Minn., Blakeslee made the USA Junior Cross Country Team in March.
Finals for the 3,000-meter steeplechase are on Friday, while the finals for the 5,000-meter run are on Saturday.
The top three finishers in each event will qualify for the International Association of Athletics Federations Junior Track and Field Championships. This year's competition will be held in Moncton, Canada on July 19-25.
For more information, including a complete schedule of events, click
here.
