University of Illinois
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Masheto Advances in 400m at NCAA Championships
June 11, 2008 | Men's Track & Field
June 11, 2008
DES MOINES, Iowa - Illinois men's track and field junior Gakologelwang Masheto will have a chance to earn his third All-America accolade, as he advanced in the 400m on Wednesday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium.
Masheto ran a time of 46.70 seconds in the first round of the 400m, good enough for third in his heat and 14th overall. The top two finishers from each of the five heats plus the next six fastest times advanced to the semifinals, which will be held on Friday beginning at 8:25 p.m. The top 400m time of the day belonged to Mississippi State freshman O'Neal Wilder, clocking a time of 45.56.
"I'm pleased to see Masheto continue to improve as he goes," head coach Wayne Angel said. "Had it not been for the wind he could have won his heat. He executed our race strategy perfectly. I think he's ready to go. He has a great shot at getting past the semifinals and he continues to show that he's a heck of a competitor."
Masheto took fourth in the 400m at the 2007 NCAA Championships with a career-best time of 45.51. To advance to this year's event final on Saturday, he must either finish in the top three in his heat or have one of the next two fastest times in the Friday semifinal.
Junior Andrew Zollner was also in action for Illinois on Friday, competing in the pole vault. He cleared the opening height of 16 feet, 2 ¾ inches on his third attempt and the next height of 16' 8 ¾ on his second attempt, but failed to clear the third height of 17' 2 ¾. Fifteen vaulters cleared 17' 2 ¾ and advanced to Friday's event final. Zollner finished tied for 16th in his second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships in the pole vault.
"Zollner's a warrior," Angel said. "I'm proud of him for making his second straight trip to nationals and being a strong competitor. He always represents the University of Illinois well and it was too bad he couldn't sneak into the final."
Live results from the NCAA Championships are linked on fightingillini.com and can also be found on godrakebulldogs.com.
Illinois NCAA Championships Wednesday Results
400m Round One
14. Gakologelwang Masheto 46.70q
Pole Vault Qualifying Round
T-16. Andrew Zollner 16'8 ¾ (5.10m)
Illinois Remaining Schedule
Friday, June 13
8:25 p.m. Men's 400m Semifinal (Masheto)
Saturday, June 14
3:12 p.m. Men's 400m Final
