University of Minnesota Athletics
Abda, Spandl Compete at NCAA Championships
6/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
The Minnesota men’s track and field team opened competition at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday.
Sophomore Harun Abda was the first Golden Gopher to compete at this year’s NCAA meet. Abda finished third in his heat of the 800-meter run clocking a time of 1 minute, 47.66 seconds. Competing in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships after earning All-America honors with a fifth-place finish in the event at the indoor national meet, Abda ran in the first heat. The heat unfortunately turned out to be the slowest of the three heats. Abda made a strong move along the rail in the final 100 meters of the race to move up to third place, but only the top two finishers in each heat automatically advance to the final. His time didn’t make the cut for the two at-large berths into the final. Abda placed 12th overall.
Abda will have another chance to compete at the NCAA Championships as part of the Gophers’ 4x400-meter relay.
Senior Brock Spandl placed 23rd in the pole vault clearing a height of 16 feet, 4 3/4 inches. Spandl, competing in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships, cleared the opening height on his second attempt,
but was unable to clear the next height of 16-10 3/4.
The NCAA Championships continues through Saturday.
Sophomore Harun Abda was the first Golden Gopher to compete at this year’s NCAA meet. Abda finished third in his heat of the 800-meter run clocking a time of 1 minute, 47.66 seconds. Competing in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships after earning All-America honors with a fifth-place finish in the event at the indoor national meet, Abda ran in the first heat. The heat unfortunately turned out to be the slowest of the three heats. Abda made a strong move along the rail in the final 100 meters of the race to move up to third place, but only the top two finishers in each heat automatically advance to the final. His time didn’t make the cut for the two at-large berths into the final. Abda placed 12th overall.
Abda will have another chance to compete at the NCAA Championships as part of the Gophers’ 4x400-meter relay.
Senior Brock Spandl placed 23rd in the pole vault clearing a height of 16 feet, 4 3/4 inches. Spandl, competing in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships, cleared the opening height on his second attempt,
but was unable to clear the next height of 16-10 3/4.
The NCAA Championships continues through Saturday.
Players Mentioned
MD
/ Men's Track & Field
PV
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