Determination, confidence and excitement are the emotions running through three Ohio athletes as they prepare to head off to the NCAA Regionals in Bloomington, Ind., where they will compete in five events.
Hurdler Jericka Duncan, sprinter and jumper Scott Mayle and thrower Susan Plungis will all be competing individually. Duncan will be running in both the 100-and 400-meter hurdles, Mayle will be competing in the long jump and 100-meter dash and Plungis will be throwing in the javelin event.
Duncan was the first of the three Bobcats to make her qualifying time, with her first place showing April 16 at the All-Ohio Championships in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13 minutes, 81 seconds. Duncan qualified for the 400-meter hurdles two weeks later at the Bobcat Invitational. Her time was 60.79.
Duncan said she is extremely motivated to do well heading into the weekend.
(I feel) determined
said Duncan, who competed in the 400-meter hurdles at regionals last season. I just feel determined to surprise a lot of people in my events.
After sitting out all of the indoor season and most of the outdoor, Mayle returned to competition at the Campbell/Wright Open in Akron and qualified for two events. With a jump of 7.56 meters, and a time of 10.50 in the 100-meter dash, Mayle assured a return trip to regionals, having competed in the long jump last season.
Mayle said he is excited about the meet and feels like he has achieved the level that he needs to be at for the NCAA regionals.
I think the past two weeks of working out I have gotten pretty confident Mayle said.
Plungis was the final competitor to qualify for Ohio when she made her distance of 142.01 in the javelin throw at this year's Mid-American Conference Championships.
Plungis said that she has mixed emotions about her first regional event.
(I am) very nervous but equally excited
Plungis said. It hasn't hit me that I'm going because my qualification at the MACs was so unexpected. I want to get the nerves out this year. I am open-minded and I'm excited to see good throwers throw.
Events for the competition will begin today at noon and will run through Saturday. The regionals will take place at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex on the Indiana University campus.
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Michelle Mu-oz
