THE FLATS – Eight Jackets are set to represent the Georgia Tech track and field programs at the upcoming NCAA East Preliminaries in Jacksonville, Fla. Competition will commence on Wednesday, May 24 and continue through Saturday, May 27.
QUALIFYING STANDARDS: The top 48 declared student-athletes will be accepted into the preliminary competitions for each individual event. The top 24 declared relay team will be accepted into the preliminary competitions for each relay event.
The following athletes have recorded qualifying marks in their respective events: Jamir Gibson (Shot Put, 19th & Discus, 16th), Zach Jaeger (3000m SC, 10th), Cameron O’Neal (Long Jump, 9th), John Watkins (Triple Jump, 22nd), Liz Galarza (10,000m, 23rd), Sheleah Harris (100m, 43rd), Helena Lindsay (3000m SC, 15th & 5000m, 47th) and Shanty Papakosta (High Jump, 8th).
Rankings have been adjusted to match the qualifier list that was released today ^
Tech’s group features several All-ACC honorees, school record holders, top five performers in program history as well as a two-time ACC Champion.
Leading the group with the best national ranking in her event is Papakosta, who was recently crowned ACC Outdoor Champion in the women’s high jump. At the conference meet, she recorded an outdoor personal-best mark of 1.82 meters (5-11.50) which sits at third on the Georgia Tech Women’s All-Time Outdoor Performers List.
Another field athlete set to compete is Gibson, who earned a bronze medal in the men’s shot put and received All-ACC Second Team honors in the men’s discus last week. Tech triple jumper, Watkins, was also among the Jackets who was named to the All-ACC Second Team and will participate in the event next week.
Rounding out the field athletes is O’Neal, a junior with a top 10 national ranking in the men’s long jump who was named ACC Men’s Field Performer of the Week earlier this season.
Four Jackets will compete in the track events. Tech will have one athlete in both the men’s and women’s 3000m steeplechase. Penn Relays champion and owner of the second-best time in Tech history, Jaeger, will compete for the men. Lindsay, who recently broke the school record set back in 2002 and earned All-ACC Second Team honors, will race for the women. Lindsay also qualified for the women’s 5000m.
In addition to the steeplechasers, Galarza is set to race in the women’s 10,000 meters. At the ACC Championships, the senior recorded a 13th-place finish in the event. Harris, an All-ACC Second Team member, will also represent the women’s team in the 100m. This will Harris’ first time competing at the NCAA East Preliminaries.
COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 24: Men’s Long Jump (First Round, 6 p.m.), Men’s Shot Put (First Round, 7 p.m.)
Thursday, May 25: Women’s 100m (First Round, 7 p.m.), Women’s 10,000m (Semifinal, 9:10 p.m.)
Friday, May 26: Men’s 3000m SC (Semifinal, 5:40 p.m.), Men’s Discus (First Round, 1 p.m.), Men’s Triple Jump (First Round, 6 p.m.)
Saturday, May 27: Women’s 3000m SC (Semifinal, 5:40 p.m.), Women’s 100m (Quarterfinals, 6:35 p.m.), Women’s 5000m (Semifinals, 8:10 p.m.), Women’s High Jump (First Round, 2:30 p.m.)
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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