Six Panthers Participate in Track and Field National Meets
6/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh track and field program will have six athletes representing three different nations at the upcoming junior and senior Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Andin Fosam, Laila Ismail, Melanie Vlasic and Desmond Palmer will all compete for the United States at the USATF Outdoor Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Ismail, Fosam, and Vlasic will compete at the junior championships on June 25-26, while sophomore Desmond Palmer will compete in the senior circuit from June 26-29.
In addition, Pitt senior Evann Thompson will compete at the Jamaican National Senior Championships in Kingston from June 25-28, while senior Andrew Wells will compete at the Canadian Track and Field Championships in Edmonton, Alberta from July 2-5.
At the USATF Championships, Ismail and Palmer will each run the 400 meter hurdles. Vlasic will take part in the women’s 1500 meter, while Fosam will compete in the women’s hammer throw.
Thompson will also run the women’s 400 meter hurdles at Nationals in Kingston, while Wells will take part in both the men’s hammer throw and discus in Edmonton.
Running on the same track that he did two weeks ago at the NCAA National Championship Meet, Palmer makes a return trip to Hayward Field after a placing eighth overall in the 400mH and earned First Team All-America accolades.
Fosam, Ismail and Vlasic are all coming off of impressive freshman campaign for the Panthers. Vlasic was a member of the women’s 1500 meter relay team that broke a school record by running an 18:39.84 at the Penn Relays back in April. Ismail will come to Oregon after running a lifetime best 59.39 in the 400 meter hurdles at the ACC Championship Meet which qualified her for the NCAA East Prelims.
Thompson, who holds dual citizenship, is the school record holder in the women’s 400 meter hurdles, and is a repeating All-American. She placed 24th in the 400 meter hurdles at the NCAA National Championship Meet two weeks ago.
The Panthers will be sending a pair of top-notch competitors in the field events as well. Wells marked a new personal record in the discus throw (55.16) at the UNF Invite in March, and is the school’s all-time record holder of three different top distances in program history (discus, hammer, weight).
Fosam wrapped up a stellar freshman campaign by qualifying for the ACCs and Junior Nationals in the Hammer Throw at the Texas Relays.
Be sure to follow @Pitt_TF_XC on Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout the championship competitions.