Track & Field

Three Hokies achieve All-America honors in second day of NCAAs

EUGENE, Ore. - Junior Dorotea Habazin tallied her second-career All-America honor, while junior Jared Jodon and senior Yavgeniy Olhovsky also claimed All-America honors during the second day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Finals on Thursday in Eugene, Ore. Habazin finished second in the women’s hammer throw, while Jodon and Olhovsky placed seventh and tied for eighth, respectively, in the men’s pole vault.

With the runner-up finish, Habazin earned her second-straight All-America accolade in the hammer throw. The Zagreb, Croatia, native came less than five feet short of winning her first national championship in the event, tossing 210-02. The winner, Nikola Lomnicka of Georgia, won the event with a mark of 215-01. Habazin, the school-record holder in the hammer throw, finished fourth in the event at the 2009 outdoor national meet.

In the men’s pole vault, junior Jared Jodon achieved All-American status for the first time in his Hokie career with a seventh-place effort in his first national finals. The Uniontown, Pa., native cleared 17-04.50 in rainy conditions to snag seventh place. Senior Yavgeniy Olhovsky also vaulted 17-04.50, but suffered more misses finishing tied for eighth, but still received All-America recognition. For the Petah-Tikya, Israel native, Thursday marked the sixth All-America accolade of his career.

“It has been a very steady meet,” Tech Director of Track and Field Dave Cianelli said. “Dorotea did not have one big throw, but it was a very good competition for her. Last year she was fourth and she moved up to second this year. She was fighting to win the title and just didn’t come up with a big throw, but a solid performance from her today. Same with Jared as well. That was his first All-America honor and it was a very good performance for him and Yavgeniy.”

Seniors Queen Harrison and Kristi Castlin took care of business in the semifinals of the women’s 100-meter hurdles on Thursday to advance to the finals of the event, scheduled for Saturday. Harrison, ranked first in the event, and Castlin, ranked third in the event, clocked the fastest and third-fastest times in the race, respectively. Harrison ran a time of 12.68, while Castlin posted a time of 12.97.

The NCAA National Finals continue tomorrow. Tech action begins with the men’s hammer throw at 7 p.m., where sophomore Marcel Lomnicky looks to win his second consecutive hammer throw crown. Results will be available on hokiesports.com.