2016 NJCAA DI Outdoor Championships

Top 5 Events to Watch at the NJCAA Division I Championships

Top 5 Events to Watch at the NJCAA Division I Championships

The best athletes in the NJCAA are heading to Levelland, Texas, for the action-packed national championship meet on May 17, 19 and 20. For the second consec

May 17, 2016 by Meg Bellino
Top 5 Events to Watch at the NJCAA Division I Championships
The best athletes in the NJCAA are heading to Levelland, Texas, for the action-packed national championship meet on May 17, 19 and 20. 

For the second consecutive year, FloTrack will live-stream the championships starting at 3:00PM CT on Tuesday, 1:00PM CT on Wednesday and 1:00PM CT on Thursday.

With famous alumni including Veronica Campbell-Brown, Sally Kipyego and Boaz Lalang (yeah, that’s Lawi’s brother), the NJCAA Championships have the ability to catapult future track and field stars into household names. Here are the top events and athletes to watch:

Men


1. 10,000m 

Who: Sylvester Barus (Iowa Western), Cody Baele (Iowa Central), Gilbert Kigen (Central Arizona), Hassan Abdi (South Plains)
When: Today, 8:50PM CT
Why: Barus and Baele will battle for Iowa bragging rights as the only two NJCAA men under 31:00 in the 10,000m race. Both athletes have been inching closer to the 29-minute range, but NJCAA standouts Kigen and Abdi could wreck their plans. Kigen was a two-time champion indoors and will make his 10,000m debut, while Abdi boasts a half marathon PB of 1:04.55.

2. 110m hurdles

Who: Ruebin Walters (Central Arizona)
When: 2:40PM CT Wednesday (Prelims); 2:15PM CT Thursday (Finals)
Why: Walters, who won the indoor title in the 60m hurdles, is the overwhelming favorite to take the 110m hurdles this week. His PB of 13.60 ranks him 11th among all collegians this outdoor season. The Trinidad and Tobago native was sixth at the 2014 World Junior Championships.

3. 100m

Who: Eli Hall-Thompson (Butler CC), Keitavious Walter (Hinds CC), Ian Kerr (Western Texas College), Eli Minor (Iowa Central CC)
When: 3:15PM CT Wednesday (Prelims); 2:40PM CT Thursday (Finals)
Why: Hall-Thompson is the reigning indoor 200m champion, while Walter took the 60m crown in March. Four men have run under 10.20 this outdoor season, and Hall-Thompson’s wind-legal mark of 10.15 ranks him sixth among all collegians. Walter’s PB of 10.15 (+2.2) came from his LSU Alumni Gold victory over professionals and NCAA Division I talent.

Women


4. 800m

Who: Marleena Eubanks (Central Arizona), Susan Ejore (Monroe College)
When: 3:30PM CT Wednesday (Prelims); 2:50PM CT Thursday (Finals)
Why: Eubanks and Ejore have their hands full in multiple events this week, but their battle over 800m could be their best performance yet. Eubanks, the reigning indoor and outdoor champion, ran a big PB of 2:06.73 this season. Ejore took home indoor titles in the 1000m, mile and DMR this March and ran 2:07.54 at the Larry Ellis Invite. 

Watch Ejore run her PB at the Larry Ellis Invite!


5. 5000m

Who: Leanne Pompeani (Iowa Central)
When: 4:30PM CT Thursday
Why: The distance queen of the NJCAA made her mark this indoor season when she won titles in the 3000m, 5000m and earned runner-up honors in the mile. The Australian native also finished 47th in the junior race at the 2015 World Cross Country Championships. In a 16:30 PB at Drake Relays, the freshman took down NCAA Division I talent and only lost to All-American Bethanie Brown (Iowa State) by five seconds. You can first catch her in the 10,000m tonight, but prepare yourself for her signature 5000m performance on Thursday afternoon.

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL LIST OF ENTRIES!

All races from the NJCAA Division I Championships will be live-streamed and archived on FloTrack from Tuesday, May 17-Thursday, May 19.