NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Day 1 Recap
The first day of the NCAA Track and Field Championships kicked off on Wednesday, June 5, at the iconic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Here are the highlights from an action-packed day.
Habtom Samuel Wins 2024 NCAA 10K Title Despite Fall
In a dramatic Men's 10,000m Final, Eritrean freshman Habtom Samuel claimed his first NCAA title with a time of 28:07.82. Despite entering as the favorite and facing a fall with 900 meters to go, Samuel displayed remarkable resilience. He picked himself up, surged forward, and managed a 68.35-second split over the final 400 meters to secure the victory, narrowly holding off Alabama's Victor Kiprop, who finished in 28:08.59.
Reflecting on the race, Samuel remarked, "I was really scared. Two laps to go — that’s not easy to recover."
Men’s Hammer Throw Final
California’s Hamilton, a transfer from NAIA British Columbia, captured the hammer throw title with a throw of 77.18 meters (253-2). In a closely contested event, he edged out defending champion Kenneth Ikeji of Harvard, who threw a season-best 77.12 meters (253-0). This victory marked Hamilton's fourth career national title, adding to the three he won in the NAIA in 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Decathlon: Leo Neugebauer Leads
Texas decathlete Leo Neugebauer finished Day 1 of the decathlon with a leading score of 4685 points, the highest score ever recorded after Day 1 in collegiate history. Neugebauer set a new collegiate record in the shot put, with a throw of 17.46 meters.
Other Individual Finals Champions
- Pole Vault: Keaton Daniel, Kentucky - 5.67 meters (18-7¼)
- Long Jump: JC Stevenson, Southern California - 8.22 meters (26-11¾)
- Shot Put: Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan, Ole Miss - 20.88 meters (68-6)
- Javelin: Marc Minichello, Georgia - 80.70 meters (264-9)
Team Scores
After six events, USC leads the team standings with 19 points. Key contributions came from JC Stevenson, who won the long jump, adding 10 points, Johnny Brackins with five points in the long jump, and Nikolaos Polychroniou with four points in the hammer throw.
With most track events yet to be scored, the standings are expected to change. The championships continue on Thursday with the men's decathlon and various women's finals and semifinals. Stay tuned for more thrilling performances from Eugene, Oregon.
