2008 Woodie Awards
Mach qualifies for nationals in 800m
By: D.J. Palomares
Issue date: 3/12/08 Section: Sports
Junior Abraham Mach bested the school record in the 800-meter run by nearly a full second Saturday at the Alex Wilson Invitational at Notre Dame.
Jeff Delong held the CMU record with a time of 1:48.32 since the 2001 season.
"My goal was just to make it to the NCAA Championships," Mach said. "I didn't know anything about the record. It came as a surprise to me. I did not think I was going to break at that meet."
Mach finished with a time of 1:47.33 in the race and qualified for Friday's NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. He will be the only CMU athlete competing in the meet. The qualifying race for the 800m is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
"I'm really excited that I get to go run with the big boys," Mach said. "I have never been to the national meet, so I am glad to make it now, as a junior."
Mach's time at the meet was the third lowest in the NCAA this season, only slightly behind the time of Elias Koech of University of Texas-El Paso (1:46.77) and Shaun Smith of Oral Roberts University (1:47.28).
Mach went into the Alex Wilson invitational as the Mid-American Conference Champion in the 800m.
"Abe is a very tall, lanky runner," said coach Jim Knapp. "The short tracks tend to be hard on his legs, but the long track at Notre Dame gave him the best chances to run."
The track in Notre Dame is 300m long, which provides for wider curves than the typical 200m tracks. Mach will have to again adjust to the smaller style since the Randall Tyson Track at Arkansas University, which is 200m long.
sports@cm-life.com
Jeff Delong held the CMU record with a time of 1:48.32 since the 2001 season.
"My goal was just to make it to the NCAA Championships," Mach said. "I didn't know anything about the record. It came as a surprise to me. I did not think I was going to break at that meet."
Mach finished with a time of 1:47.33 in the race and qualified for Friday's NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. He will be the only CMU athlete competing in the meet. The qualifying race for the 800m is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
"I'm really excited that I get to go run with the big boys," Mach said. "I have never been to the national meet, so I am glad to make it now, as a junior."
Mach's time at the meet was the third lowest in the NCAA this season, only slightly behind the time of Elias Koech of University of Texas-El Paso (1:46.77) and Shaun Smith of Oral Roberts University (1:47.28).
Mach went into the Alex Wilson invitational as the Mid-American Conference Champion in the 800m.
"Abe is a very tall, lanky runner," said coach Jim Knapp. "The short tracks tend to be hard on his legs, but the long track at Notre Dame gave him the best chances to run."
The track in Notre Dame is 300m long, which provides for wider curves than the typical 200m tracks. Mach will have to again adjust to the smaller style since the Randall Tyson Track at Arkansas University, which is 200m long.
sports@cm-life.com
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