2008 Woodie Awards
Mach stands tall against competition in 800-meter run
By: D J Palomares
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: Sports
Junior Abraham Mach will attempt to prove himself as the most dominant runner in the nation today in Fayetteville, Ark.
Mach qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships meet last Friday at the Alex Wilson Invitational with a time of 1 minute, 47.33 seconds in the 800-meter run.
"These runners are the best in America," said coach Jim Knapp. "These are the elite."
The 800m race is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CST. In order to make Saturday's finals, Mach must finish in the top eight of the 16-athlete field. The finals in the 800m run will take place at 6:35 p.m. Saturday. The top eight runners will earn All-America honors.
"I'm just want to go there and qualify on Friday," Mach said. "Then we can duke it out Saturday at the finals."
Mach's biggest competition in the meet will be senior Elias Koech from the University of Texas-El Paso and senior Shaun Smith of Oral Roberts. Koech (1:46.77) and Smith (1:47.28) qualified with better times than Mach.
University of Florida junior Carlos Phillips and University of Texas junior Jacob Hernandez round out the top five qualifiers.
"(Koech and Smith) were competing with some good competitors," Mach said. "But me, I did my best time by myself. And that motivates me to go out there and get my best time."
The heat also includes Louisiana State University sophomore Jamaal James, who had the top time in last season's NCAA Indoor Championships as a freshman.
"Those guys are pretty good. They are really, really good," Mach said. "But I can be good, too."
Mach has never qualified for nationals before this year. He missed races his freshman year because of an ankle injury, and he was held back last year after injuring his Achilles tendon.
Mach also injured his knee again this season, but was able to recover.
"I started hurting in both of my knees before the Akron meet, but I didn't want to tell coach Knapp," Mach said. "But when I went out and ran at that meet, I started really feeling the pain. So that's when I started to worry."
Mach switched from using cleats to running in flat shoes after the Jan. 18 meet and has been resting his knees for this race.
"He is outstanding," Knapp said. "He is definitely an All-American caliber athlete. He is a great competitor and I think he will do fine."
sports@cm-life.com
Mach qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships meet last Friday at the Alex Wilson Invitational with a time of 1 minute, 47.33 seconds in the 800-meter run.
"These runners are the best in America," said coach Jim Knapp. "These are the elite."
The 800m race is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CST. In order to make Saturday's finals, Mach must finish in the top eight of the 16-athlete field. The finals in the 800m run will take place at 6:35 p.m. Saturday. The top eight runners will earn All-America honors.
"I'm just want to go there and qualify on Friday," Mach said. "Then we can duke it out Saturday at the finals."
Mach's biggest competition in the meet will be senior Elias Koech from the University of Texas-El Paso and senior Shaun Smith of Oral Roberts. Koech (1:46.77) and Smith (1:47.28) qualified with better times than Mach.
University of Florida junior Carlos Phillips and University of Texas junior Jacob Hernandez round out the top five qualifiers.
"(Koech and Smith) were competing with some good competitors," Mach said. "But me, I did my best time by myself. And that motivates me to go out there and get my best time."
The heat also includes Louisiana State University sophomore Jamaal James, who had the top time in last season's NCAA Indoor Championships as a freshman.
"Those guys are pretty good. They are really, really good," Mach said. "But I can be good, too."
Mach has never qualified for nationals before this year. He missed races his freshman year because of an ankle injury, and he was held back last year after injuring his Achilles tendon.
Mach also injured his knee again this season, but was able to recover.
"I started hurting in both of my knees before the Akron meet, but I didn't want to tell coach Knapp," Mach said. "But when I went out and ran at that meet, I started really feeling the pain. So that's when I started to worry."
Mach switched from using cleats to running in flat shoes after the Jan. 18 meet and has been resting his knees for this race.
"He is outstanding," Knapp said. "He is definitely an All-American caliber athlete. He is a great competitor and I think he will do fine."
sports@cm-life.com
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