Friday, June 27
Eugene, Ore.
4:00 PM
Liberty University
at
USA Olympic Trials
McNaney 13th with Best-Ever Day One Score
6/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Danielle McNaney, a 2005 Liberty graduate, sits in 13th place after Friday's opening-day heptathlon action at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field, but it was hardly an unlucky day for her at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Sparked by a personal best in the 100-meter hurdles, she tallied her highest-ever day one score, 3,354.
McNaney was one of numerous athletes to take advantage of strong tailwinds on the opening day of the Trials. Pushed along by a stiff, 3.5 m/s tailwind, the Liberty and Big South Conference heptathlon record holder inaugurated the day with a personal-best 100-meter hurdle clocking, 13.80. The stellar performance set the stage for her three remaining events.
"I came into the meet with a lot of confidence, because my practices have been going well," noted McNaney. "To do that well in the hurdles just solidified my confidence and served as a springboard into the rest of my events."
McNaney used a pair of clutch, third-attempt clearances in the high jump to come within 1.25 inches of her personal best, at 5-6.5. She then closed out the day with two more solid marks. She stretched the measuring tape to 38-9.75 in the shot put, and another strong breeze aided her to a 25.35 effort in her final discipline, the 200-meter dash. At day's end, McNaney found herself 62 points ahead of her personal-best pace.
Perhaps no one enjoyed Friday's tailwinds more than Nike heptathlete Hyleas Fountain. She opened the meet with a bang, setting an American record for the heptathlon 100-meter hurdles at 12.65. When all was said and done, the defending national champion accumulated 3,989 opening-day markers. Fountain will take a 239-point lead over second-place Diana Pickler into day two.
McNaney will complete the heptathlon on Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern. Her three remaining events are among the Kansas native's best disciplines—the long jump, javelin and 800-meter run. A year ago, McNaney jumped from 17th place to ninth on day two of the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships heptathlon.
"Day two is usually a better day for me," admitted McNaney. "I'm really looking for a solid long jump, because my competitions have not been a good representation of my training. I've been practicing better than I've been competing. To start off well in the long jump would be huge."
McNaney was one of numerous athletes to take advantage of strong tailwinds on the opening day of the Trials. Pushed along by a stiff, 3.5 m/s tailwind, the Liberty and Big South Conference heptathlon record holder inaugurated the day with a personal-best 100-meter hurdle clocking, 13.80. The stellar performance set the stage for her three remaining events.
"I came into the meet with a lot of confidence, because my practices have been going well," noted McNaney. "To do that well in the hurdles just solidified my confidence and served as a springboard into the rest of my events."
McNaney used a pair of clutch, third-attempt clearances in the high jump to come within 1.25 inches of her personal best, at 5-6.5. She then closed out the day with two more solid marks. She stretched the measuring tape to 38-9.75 in the shot put, and another strong breeze aided her to a 25.35 effort in her final discipline, the 200-meter dash. At day's end, McNaney found herself 62 points ahead of her personal-best pace.
Perhaps no one enjoyed Friday's tailwinds more than Nike heptathlete Hyleas Fountain. She opened the meet with a bang, setting an American record for the heptathlon 100-meter hurdles at 12.65. When all was said and done, the defending national champion accumulated 3,989 opening-day markers. Fountain will take a 239-point lead over second-place Diana Pickler into day two.
McNaney will complete the heptathlon on Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern. Her three remaining events are among the Kansas native's best disciplines—the long jump, javelin and 800-meter run. A year ago, McNaney jumped from 17th place to ninth on day two of the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships heptathlon.
"Day two is usually a better day for me," admitted McNaney. "I'm really looking for a solid long jump, because my competitions have not been a good representation of my training. I've been practicing better than I've been competing. To start off well in the long jump would be huge."
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