Pucurs Sets Duke Record And Wins Javelin As Four Blue Devils Qualify For Postseason

Thursday, March 22

Winston-Salem, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day One

Track & Field Hosts 19th Annual Asics Duke Invitational

Pucurs Sets Duke Record And Wins Javelin As Four Blue Devils Qualify For Postseason

3/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field

By: Duke Sports Information

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Duke Outdoor Track and Field team kicked off the season at the Wake Forest Open in Winston-Salem, N.C. Four Blue Devils qualified for the postseason and five Duke competitors placed in the top five on all-time Duke records' lists. All of the top performances were in multi and field events for Duke.

Women's: Freshman Karolina Haraldsdottir made her mark early in her career in the heptathlon, placing fifth at Wake Forest. Haraldsdottir scored 4,331 points in her seven events, which earned her the fourth-best Duke heptathlon score in the history of the program. The heptathlon consists of the 100 meter hurdles, the high jump, the shot put, the 200 meters, the long jump, the javelin and the 800 meters.

A Duke record was bested by the same performer who broke it on Friday when junior Daina Pucurs threw the javelin 168'-11.” Pucurs won the meet in the event and qualified for the NCAA East Regional, which will take place May 25-26 in Gainesville, Fla.

In the shot put, freshman Alexa Revord tagged the fourth-best distance ever at Duke with a 38'-11.75” mark.

The women's pole vault saw two Blue Devil women with success on Friday. Junior Lara Jones vaulted 12'-8.5,” one inch short of her personal best but still good for a berth in the NCAA East Regional. Jones placed fifth in Winston-Salem. Sophomore Sally Liu hit 10'-11.75,” missing the ECAC cutoff height but still placing fifth on the all-time Duke record list.

Men's: Junior Tyler Clarke qualified for the IC4A Championships in the decathlon, scoring a 6,565 and finishing seventh. The decathlon involves the 100 meters, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump, the 400 meters, the 110 meter high hurdles, the discus, the pole vault, the javelin and the 1500 meters. The IC4A's will take place in Princeton, N.J., from May 11-13.

Freshman John Austin announced his coming to Duke by throwing the second-farthest javelin in school history with a 207'-08” mark. He place third in the meet and qualified for the NCAA East Regional.

Competition will resume Saturday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., and there will be much more action for the Duke squad. The men and women still have 13 events to compete in.

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