Hamstring Limits Allen's Efforts At Nationals
Summary:
Women's Track & Field: NTS | Stats
The recurrence of a hamstring injury limits Risa Allen's performance in the triple as Pacific's only representative at the NCAA Division III Track Championships
MARIETTA, Ohio - After a year that saw her set a personal best and school record in the triple jump, it was an early season injury that came back to haunt Risa Allen (Sr., Portland, Ore.).
A tweak of a hamstring injury kept Allen from her top form as she did not advance to the finals in the event at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, held Saturday at Don Drumm Stadium. Allen finished with a best mark in the preliminaries of 36 feet, 0.75 inches, finishing well shot of making the finals field.
Allen aggravated the injury while practicing on Friday morning. "We feared that the hamstring could be an issue," said Pacific Head Coach Tim Boyce. "I was amazed that she was able to take all three jumps."
Allen's best effort came on her second jump. She fouled on both her first and third attempts. As things worked out, it would have taken another personal best for Allen to finish as an All-American. Akeye Aimable of Wartburg was the champion with a stadium record of 39 feet, 10.75 inches. The final All-American position, eighth place, went to Chinny Ekwulugo of Illinois Wesleyan with a leap with 38 feet, 10.25 inches.
Nonetheless, Allen finishes her Pacific career as one of the top women's jumpers in Pacific track and field history. A four-time All-Northwest Conference performer in the triple jump (twice at Puget Sound and twice at Pacific), Allen won the conference title in the event for Pacific in 2008 and finished second this season. Her season best of 38 feet, 9 inches, bettered her own school record by nearly a foot and ranks No. 6 all-time in Northwest Conference history.
"We are very proud of Risa," Boyce said. "She has added so much to our program in her two years. She has added five-plus feet to our school record and has improved over three feet on her personal best since she started here. She represented us well today and always."
Posted by Blake Timm (timmbr@pacificu.edu) on May 26, 2009 at 12:08 PM
