CARSON, Calif. ? Nebraska senior Becky Breisch became the first Husker to win a U.S. championship in the women’s discus Thursday evening at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held at The Home Depot Center. The performance earned her a spot on her first World Championships team.
Breisch led the competition through the preliminary round, but fell all the way to fourth place after recording fouls on her first two attempts of the finals. The two-time NCAA champion made her final toss count, throwing the winning mark of 206-5 to secure victory over four-time U.S. champion Seilala Sua (202-10).
"I feel unbelievable,” Breisch said. “I was hoping for the best, but this group of throwers, you never know what will happen. This is what I train for. This is great, considering I just came off two elbow surgeries. I can't wait to represent the United States at the World Championships.”
An eight-time NCAA All-American, Breisch will be entering her senior season at NU after redshirting during the Huskers’ 2005 season. She will also compete in the women’s shot put competition Friday at 7 p.m. CT.
Another Husker national champion, Anne Shadle, also began her quest for a spot on the U.S. national team Thursday evening by qualifying for Saturday’s final heat of the women’s 1,500-meter run.
Shadle finished fifth in the first of two qualifying heats, and ninth overall, in a time of 4:14.86 to reach the final. The competition was tightly contested, as each of the 12 qualifiers finished within a two-second time frame. The South Sioux City, Neb., native must earn a top-three position Saturday to be eligible for the U.S. national team.
Friday and Saturday will be important days for Nebraska athletes at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Along with Breisch in the women’s shot put, LeRon Williams and incoming freshman Robert Rands will each compete in the Junior men’s long jump at Noon CT. Shadle runs in the women’s 1,500-meter final Saturday at 4:22 p.m. CT.