First Ticket Punched for Wildcats at NCAA West First Round Championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arizona Track & Field opened up the NCAA West First Round Championships on Wednesday at Arkansas' John McDonnell Field. Day one of the competition included only men's events, with one Wildcat, Sir Jonathan Sims, finishing in the top 12 and punching his ticket to the final NCAA Championships in June.
 
TICKETS PUNCHED
Sir Jonathan Sims – Men's Long Jump
 
FIELD HIGHLIGHTS
Sir Jonathan Sims was the first Wildcat to punch his ticket to Eugene, Ore., for the NCAA Championships with his ninth-place finish in the men's long jump. Sims' best jump on the day of 25-4.75 (7.74m) came on his last attempt and catapulted him into the top 12 to qualify for the final. It will be the sophomore's first career appearance at the NCAA Championships. Sims, who won the triple jump at the Pac-12 Championships, will also compete in the triple jump on Friday. Reinaldo Rodrigues posted a jump of 25-1.25 (7.65m) to finish 15th and Pierce LaCoste finished with a leap of 24-7 (7.49m) to place 25th as well.
 
In the men's javelin, Jared O'Riley placed 13th, just narrowly missing out on advancing to his third NCAA Championships. O'Riley led the field heading into the final flight of the competition but was bumped to 13th with the last 16 throwers of the competition. His best throw on the day was 225-7 (68.76m). Jesse Avina also placed 25th with a heave of 213-3 (65.00m).
 
Freshmen Tyler Michelini and Michael Ogbeiwi both competed in the men's shot put. Ogbeiwi also competed in the men's hammer.
 
TRACK HIGHLIGHTS
Trayvion White-Austin clocked a season best time of 20.45 in the first round of the men's 200m to qualify for the event's quarterfinals on Friday. White-Austin finished second in his heat to automatically qualify while also posting the fourth fastest overall time on the day. He ran in a heat with two other Wildcats, James Onanubosi and Tyson Tippett, who clocked times of 21.03 and 21.07.
 
In the first round of the men's 110m hurdles, Zachary Extine clocked a personal best time of 13.67 to qualify and advance to the quarterfinals in the event on Friday. He finished fourth in his heat and 18th overall. His PB time is second all-time in school history as Extine now just sits behind John Johnson's time of 13.47 from 1984. Extine has clocked personal best times in his last three 110m hurdle races.
 
Both Trayvion White-Austin (10.34) and Tyson Tippett (10.35) finished in the top three of their first round 100m heats to advance to the quarterfinals in the event on Friday. The pair finished 18th and 19th overall for the Wildcats. James Onanubosi also ran a time of 10.53 in the event. White-Austin will now run in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m on Friday.
 
Yan Vazquez advanced to Friday's quarterfinals in the men's 400m hurdles by clocking a season best time of 51.04 in the first round of the event. Vazquez finished third in his heat to automatically qualify and placed 17th overall.
 
In the first round of the men's 400m, Isaac Davis clocked a time of 46.40.
 
UP NEXT
Due to potential severe weather, the NCAA West First Round Championships will continue tomorrow but with a revised schedule. The competition will now begin at 6:30 a.m. MST with the women's hammer. All field events have been moved up 1.5 hours and all track events have been moved up three hours.
 
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