The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Givans takes bronze at NCAA Championships
06.10.2016 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Sprinter posts best finish in 100 meters by Longhorn since 1977
Complete Friday Results | Texas Post-Meet Notes
NCAA Championship Info | Schedule | Live Results |
USTFCCCA's Championship Central | Comprehensive Championship History
Remaining Television Schedule (times Central): Saturday 5:30-8 p.m. ESPN | Live Video (also exclusive online content of field events, heptathlon)
EUGENE, Ore. – On men's championship day at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships junior Senoj-Jay Givans became the first Longhorn to finish in the top three in the 100 meters since 1977.
Givans crossed the line in third place with his time of 10.25 seconds as the field had to run into a strong headwind of 2.3 meters per second. It was one of the closest finishes in some time at the NCAA Championships with only .04 separating first place from fifth. Arkansas' Jarrion Lawson edged out the field for the win in 10.22 seconds, and Christian Coleman of Tennessee ran 10.23.
"I guess I wasn't feeling it today. I didn't get the start I needed and I ran out of real estate. All I know is it hurts. It really hurts," Givans said after his race.
With his third-place finish Givans scored six points for the Texas men's team, which represented the team's only points at the championship meet. That put the men in a tie for 36th place overall. Florida won the men's title with a total of 62 points and defending champion Oregon was fourth with 48 points.
During Wednesday's semifinals, Givans broke the school record and posted the No. 9 time in collegiate history at 9.96 seconds. He was unable to get out of the blocks as strongly in the final and said he was disappointed in the loss after such a strong showing on Wednesday.
"It kills me that I didn't win. This has been a rough year," Givans said. "I didn't compete (at NCAA) indoors. I lost the first two months to injury, and to come around in the shape where I know I could have won it if I had executed the way I should have, it really hurts to know I didn't do so."
Head Coach Mario Sategna said he was proud of the effort by Givans as the junior is the only Longhorn to finish third and second to ever finish in the top three.
"He's heartbroken. You get to that one moment, especially in the 100 meters, and you're talking about a fraction of a second," Sategna said. "He's doing it the right way and I am super, super proud of him. We need more with that type of drive and passion because he wasn't running for anything but first place."
With his time of 9.96 seconds Givans will now head home to his native Jamaica for Olympic Trials where he will attempt to represent his country this summer in Rio de Janeiro.
"He'll get a chance now to go to the Jamaican Championships to hopefully make their Olympic team, which is no easy feat when you've got the top athlete in the world that you're going to be lining up against in Usain Bolt," Sategna said. "I just can't say enough about Senoj-Jay and what he's brought to our program."
On the women's side of things on Thursday, sophomore Ashtin Zamzow began her quest to become the first woman to finish in the top eight for the Texas women in the heptathlon at an NCAA Championship.
Zamzow stumbled in the first event of the heptathlon when she hit the ninth hurdle in the 100 meter hurdles. She was able to save herself from falling and clocked in at 14.38 seconds to score 882 points to open the competition.
In the second event, Zamzow responded well to the mishap in the hurdles with a clearance of 1.69 meters (5-6.50) to tie her best leap of the season and tally 842 points. She followed that with a toss of 11.39 meters (37-4.50), which was 9.75 inches short of her season's best.
Zamzow came into the final event of the first day of the heptathlon standing in 19th place overall. She proceeded to clock 25.56 in the 200 meters with the challenge of running in lane one. Zamzow ended the day in 20th place overall in the point standings with a total of 3,183 points through the first four events.
The second day of heptathlon action starts at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday with the long jump. Zamzow has proven to be one of the top javelin throwers in the heptathlon field, an event she would hope to use to her advantage to move up the standings before the closing 800 meters.
Saturday's action will conclude the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships as the women will have a handful of Longhorns fighting for points to get the team a top four finish on the podium and with a shot at winning its first outdoor title since 2005.
Field events on Saturday start at 5 p.m. and running finals begin at 5:32 p.m. Fans can watch the action live on ESPN and online on espn3.com and via the WatchESPN app on their tablet or smartphone. The heptathlon action will have exclusive feeds and cameras dedicated to each of its events via espn3.com throughout the competition.
More Quotes
Head Coach Mario Sategna
On looking toward 2017: We'll live to see another day. We knew coming in we weren't 100-percent after the regional meet. Our goal was to win the conference championship, and things just didn't line up for us, it wasn't in the cards at the regional meet. But at the end of the day for myself as the head coach, for the rest of the coaches, we take tremendous pride in representing Texas to the fullest and we will definitely, not just in a few events, but we will be significantly better down the road.
Senoj-Jay Givans, Junior, 100m 3rd place
On future of Texas Track & Field: We've had some ups and downs, but I still believe we're one of the strongest teams and we've still got a lot better stuff to come in the future.
On if running 9.96 during semifinals gives him confidence for Jamaican Trials: It does and it doesn't because if I can't execute in the finals, it doesn't matter what happens in the prelims. I'm happy for the PR. It wasn't meant to be today. I just got to turn that frown upside down and walk out of here with my head held high.
Players Mentioned
