Stigler Hurdles into Final at USA Outdoor Championships
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior-to-be Michael Stigler advanced to the 400-meter hurdle final Saturday afternoon at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships inside Hornet Stadium. Stigler finished third in his semifinal heat and posted the fourth-fastest qualifying overall to earn a spot in Sunday’s final.
Stigler, who was the NCAA runner-up in the event two weeks ago at the NCAA Championships, punched his ticket to the semifinals by way of a sixth-place performance (50.55) in the first round Friday. Running in the second of two semifinal heats Saturday, the three-time First Team All-American finished strong down the home stretch to nab a third-place finish in 49.86, just .01 seconds behind the second-place finisher.
Stigler’s appearance in the final at the USA Championships will be the second of his career after he advanced through at the 2012 Olympic Trials on the way to a sixth-place finish. He will vie for his first USA title Sunday at 4:19 p.m. (CT).
In other action in Sacramento, junior-to-be Sydney Conley posted a 13th-place finish in the long jump during her first career appearance at the USA Outdoor meet. She tallied a top mark of 5.88 meters (19’2½”).
Jayhawk alumnus Kyle Clemons secured a bronze medal in the 400 meters. The Rowlett, Texas native, who ran for Kansas from 2010-13, completed his quarter-mile in a new personal-best of 45.00 to earn his highest-career finish in the event at the USA Championships.
Another former Kansas track & field legend saw action inside Hornet’s Stadium over the past two days as Andrea Geubelle took part in the triple jump and long jump. Geubelle was looking to defend her triple jump title which she won a year ago, but settled for a fifth-place finish after leaping to a top mark of 13.46 meters (44’2″). Saturday she finished ninth in the long jump with a mark of 6.23 meters (20’5¼”).
Action is still in store for the Jayhawks on the final day of the USA Championships Sunday. Outgoing senior Jessica Maroszek will compete in the discus throw at 1:45 p.m. (CT), a year after she was the top collegiate finisher in the event a year ago. Stigler will wrap up the weekend for Kansas later in the afternoon in the 400-meter hurdle final. The meet can be viewed on NBC beginning at 3 p.m. (CT).
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