EUGENE, Ore. — Alabama junior Portious Warren posted Alabama’s first top-10 finish in the shot put in 26 years on the opening day of women’s competition at the 2018 NCAA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Warren finished ninth with an effort of 55-6 ¼ (16.92m) to join former UA All-American Hanna Glyfadottir as the second top-10 NCAA finisher in the event in school history. Glyfadottir finished seventh at the 1992 NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas. Warren’s mark is the sixth-best in school history.
In the track semifinals on Thursday, Alabama’s 4×100-meter relay quartet of freshmen Daija Lampkin and Tamara Clark and sophomores Symone Darius and Takyera Roberson finished eighth and advanced to Saturday’s final with a time of 43.35, the seventh-fastest time in school history.
Clark also competed in the semifinals of the 100 meters (11.50) and 200 meters (23.28) on Thursday and finished seventh in her heat in both events.
In the only other field event final involving Alabama, senior Britainy Smith tied for 18th in the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 13-1 ½ (4.00m).
In men’s action late on Wednesday evening, juniors Vincent Kiprop and Gilbert Kigen finished second and seventh, respectively, in the 10,000 meters. Kiprop crossed the line in 28:34.99 and Kigen finished in 28:55.66. Kiprop’s finish is the first in the top two in the event for Alabama at the NCAA Championships and the two top-eight finishes in the 10,000 at the same NCAA meet is also a program first for the Tide.
The Alabama men will finish competition at the NCAA Championships on Friday with eight individuals in action in six events. Junior Shelby McEwen will open the day in the high jump at 7 p.m. CT, followed by juniors Kord Ferguson and Daniel Haugh in the discus at 7:05 p.m. and freshman Christian Edwards in the triple jump at 7:40 p.m. On the track, junior Ruebin Walters will run in the final of the 110-meter hurdles at 8:12 p.m. and juniors Vincent Kiprop and Gilbert Kigen and senior Alfred Chelanga will cap the night for the Tide in the final of the 5,000 meters at 9:25 p.m.
