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Three Gophers Earn All-America Nods on Opening Day
6/5/2019 5:27:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
AUSTIN, Texas – Three members of the University of Minnesota track & field program were in action on the opening day of the 2019 NCAA Track & Field Championships on Wednesday and all three Gophers earned All-America accolades at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
The Maroon & Gold men started things out in Austin on Wednesday with Kieran McKeag (men's hammer throw) and Alec Basten (men's 3,000 meter steeplechase) picking up Second Team All-America honors while Obsa Ali (men's 3,000 meter steeplechase) earned All-America accolades and will defend his NCAA crown in Friday's event final.
A native of Lakeville, Minn., McKeag opened the men's hammer throw competition with a toss of 67.60 meters (221-09 ft.) to finish 14th on Wednesday – improving from a 21st-place performance last year in his debut at the national championships. The redshirt sophomore recorded the second best hammer throw attempt of his career in Austin, second only to his personal record of 68.01 meters (223-01 ft.) at the Big Ten championships last month (a performance that ranks third all-time at Minnesota). Wednesday's All-America accolade marks the second honor of McKeag's young career – he earned Second Team All-America merits during the 2019 indoor season after finishing 12th in the weight throw.
Meanwhile, Ali and Basten closed out the day for the Maroon & Gold in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase. In a measured semifinal competition, Ali punched his ticket to Friday's final by finishing second in his heat at 8:54.11 for an automatic qualifying bid (the redshirt senior finished with the eighth-fastest qualifying time). A native of Richfield, Minn., Ali will look to become just the third Gopher to win multiple national championships at the University of Minnesota and the first do so in more than 70 years. Also the two-time defending Big Ten champion in the steeplechase, Ali has now earned four career All-America accolades including three-straight in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. In his NCAA outdoor track & field championships debut, Basten claimed his first career All-America honor with a 14th-place showing for the Maroon & Gold. A redshirt sophomore from Green Bay, Wis., Basten ran 8:56.26 to close out his collegiate season, earning Second Team accolades.
The 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships continue over the next three days in Austin, Texas with the University of Minnesota women's contingency in action on Thursday and Saturday while Obsa Ali runs in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase final on Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
The Maroon & Gold men started things out in Austin on Wednesday with Kieran McKeag (men's hammer throw) and Alec Basten (men's 3,000 meter steeplechase) picking up Second Team All-America honors while Obsa Ali (men's 3,000 meter steeplechase) earned All-America accolades and will defend his NCAA crown in Friday's event final.
A native of Lakeville, Minn., McKeag opened the men's hammer throw competition with a toss of 67.60 meters (221-09 ft.) to finish 14th on Wednesday – improving from a 21st-place performance last year in his debut at the national championships. The redshirt sophomore recorded the second best hammer throw attempt of his career in Austin, second only to his personal record of 68.01 meters (223-01 ft.) at the Big Ten championships last month (a performance that ranks third all-time at Minnesota). Wednesday's All-America accolade marks the second honor of McKeag's young career – he earned Second Team All-America merits during the 2019 indoor season after finishing 12th in the weight throw.
Meanwhile, Ali and Basten closed out the day for the Maroon & Gold in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase. In a measured semifinal competition, Ali punched his ticket to Friday's final by finishing second in his heat at 8:54.11 for an automatic qualifying bid (the redshirt senior finished with the eighth-fastest qualifying time). A native of Richfield, Minn., Ali will look to become just the third Gopher to win multiple national championships at the University of Minnesota and the first do so in more than 70 years. Also the two-time defending Big Ten champion in the steeplechase, Ali has now earned four career All-America accolades including three-straight in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. In his NCAA outdoor track & field championships debut, Basten claimed his first career All-America honor with a 14th-place showing for the Maroon & Gold. A redshirt sophomore from Green Bay, Wis., Basten ran 8:56.26 to close out his collegiate season, earning Second Team accolades.
The 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships continue over the next three days in Austin, Texas with the University of Minnesota women's contingency in action on Thursday and Saturday while Obsa Ali runs in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase final on Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
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