MARION, IN - Liz Gleadle capped off a perfect NAIA career with her fourth straight national title in the women's javelin, bettering her own NAIA record with a throw of 56.09m at the 2010 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Marion, IN.
RESULTS
The senior from Vancouver ends her T-Bird eligibility a perfect 4-for-4 at the NAIA National Championships, setting NAIA records each of the past two years. Gleadle bettered her 2009 record of 54.31m on her fourth effort with a throw of 54.67m before setting the final standard on her fifth attempt.
“The conditions were pretty good today but it was windy. It's really hot, which is the way I like it, but the wind was tough. My first throw felt really good but the wind took it down and it ended up being my shortest one of the day. I wanted to go after my Canadian record but it wasn't to be,” said Gleadle, who owns the national record at 58.21m.
Jenna Higgins, a freshman from Mount Mercy, was second with a throw of 45.40m. That effort was nearly four metres less than Gleadle's winning effort as a freshman in 2007.
Curtis Moss also brought home a gold in the javelin, winning the men's competition with an effort of 73.13m. After a rough start, his first of six attempts was only 55.04m, the senior took control of the event with a throw of 70.16m on his fourth try and then sealed the win with his fifth throw which turned out to be the best of the day.
Freshman Andy White was in third after his fourth round effort of 64.62m but Westmont's Brett Lagace surpassed White with his fifth throw to claim bronze. Concordia's Paul Roshau earned silver with a final throw of 70.54m.
In the men's decathlon, Reid Gustavson jumped out to an early lead after a great first day. Gustavson never missed the podium during the first five events of the decathlon, tallying a pair of first-place and second-place finishes in addition to one third-place result.
He topped the field in the long jump with an effort of 7.02m and cleared 2.01m in the high jump to win that event. Gustavson won his heat in both the 100m (11.13) and 400m (49.65) races, with both results good enough for second. He capped off a stellar first day with a heave of 12.68m in the shot put.
Ivan Staeheli is also in contention for a podium spot in the men's decathlon after one third, two fourths, a fifth, and a seventh during day one.
Freshman standout Luc Bruchet advanced straight through to the finals of the men's 1500m where he will be joined by fellow T-Bird Nigel Hole. Bruchet and Hole then teamed with Jordan Smith and Tim Smith for the men's 4x800m relay. That group just missed making the final, finishing one spot out in tenth after posting a time 7:38.62.
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