Curtis HS alum Andrea Geubelle wins USA national title in triple jump...

DES MOINES, Iowa--University Place resident Andrea Geubelle (left/photo by Paul Merca) won her first USA national title in the triple jump, taking command from the start and was never seriously pressed to highlight day 2 of the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium.

On her first attempt, Geubelle took the lead with a mark of 45-0 1/4 (13.72), then extended the lead to 45-6 1/4 (13.87m) in round 3.

Though aided with a tailwind of 3.4 meters per second, Geubelle, who finished her career at the University of Kansas, and was also battling a heel bruise suffered at the NCAA championship meet two weeks ago, got her best mark of 46-0 1/2 (14.03m) in the fourth round.

In the mixed zone afterwards, Geubelle, the graduate of Curtis HS, said, “My coach (Wayne Pate) reassured me he had what it takes to compete. He said ‘You have been training for this all year and you can be successful at this meet.’ I definitely need this from the confidence standpoint; especially to put a 46 (foot) jump out there. I really haven’t jumped 46 since indoor. I know I have so much more in my tank. It is just a matter of getting myself healthy and hit the standard. If I do that then I have a chance to get to Moscow. I went 46-6 indoors and that was about two centimeters short, so I am close. "

Washington State alum Blessing Ufodiama finished fourth with a best of 44-7 1/2 (13.60m), and is eligible to chase the world championships standard.

Currently, no Americans have either the IAAF A or B standards to go to the world championships in Moscow in August, so a spot on the plane to Russia is not guaranteed for Geubelle, or any of the top four finishers, unless they attain it.

Geubelle returns to compete in the long jump on Saturday.

Vancouver's Kara Patterson finished third in the javelin in her first competition since the London Olympics, and the subsequent surgery on the knee she injured at the US Olympic Trials, throwing 183-4 (55.88m).

Patterson afterwards said, "I was shaking like a leaf the whole time.  I was excited, but also nervous.  Overall, I'm pleased with how it went.  Getting the top four means that I can chase the standard to go to worlds, but I'm going to take my time doing it.  I might try and set something up on or about July 19th or 20th.  I don't feel that it would do me a lot of good to travel and chase the standard."

Washington junior Megan Goethals finished tenth in the finals of the 10000, running 33:36.73.

In the men's 10000, Bellingham's Jake Riley finished eighth after leading for the first half of the race, running 29:25.66.

In other action, Washington State alums Jeshua Anderson and Joe Abbott advanced to the semifinals in the 400 hurdles, and 800 meters respectively, with Anderson and Abbott each finishing third in their heats in 50.65, and 1:47.31.

Washington alum Katie Mackey finished third in her semi of the women's 1500, running 4:13.90.

Rainier Beach HS grad Michael Berry won his heat of the 400 meters, running 45.58, which was the fourth fastest time of the day.

WSU grad Collier Lawrence ran 10:23.98 to finish ninth in her heat of the 3000 steeplechase.

Auburn/Riverside alum Jordan McNamara was a surprise non-qualifier, as he ran 3:41.74 in his heat of the 1500 meters.

In the junior championships held concurrently with this meet, University of Washington freshman Daje Pugh finished sixth in the finals of the 100 hurdles in 14.61, a race she hadn't run since the Pac-12 championships in Los Angeles last month.

Husky freshman Chris Williams no-heighted in the pole vault, and was third in his heat of the 110 hurdles in 14.31.

In the heptathlon, Olivia Vincent was seventh with a two-day score of 4992 points, while Brooke Feldmeier was tenth at 48.55.

Complete results from Thursday's competition at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are available here.

TAIWO SIGNS WITH WORLD EXPRESS ATHLETIC MANAGEMENT

paulmerca.blogspot.com has learned that recent University of Washington graduate Jeremy Taiwo has signed with agent Mark Pryor of World Express Athletic Management for representation.

Pryor represents Olympic long jump champion Brittney Reese, and just signed a pair of Olympians this week in sprinter Isiah Young of the University of Mississippi, and shot putter Tia Brooks of Oklahoma.

His company also represents former Husky long jumper Norris Frederick.

Taiwo, who finished second in the NCAA decathlon in Eugene, begins competition Friday, where he will go up against reigning world champion Trey Hardee, and current world record holder and Olympic champ Ashton Eaton.