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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 4:43 p.m., Saturday, March 15, 2008

UH's Wichmann finishes fourth in NCAA pentathlon

Advertiser News Services

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arizona State's Jacquelyn Johnson set a collegiate record in the pentathlon today, winning the event for the third straight year at the NCAA Indoor track and field championships. Annett Wichmann of Hawai'i finished fourth.

Johnson was in second place entering the 800 meters, the last of the five events that comprise the pentathlon. She outran the field by more than 5 seconds to finish with a record 4,496 points.

"Going into this today, I wasn't really thinking of being national champ three times," Johnson said. "I was more thinking of, 'Go out there and beat the record.' And I did it."

Bettie Wade of Michigan was second with 4,366 points, followed by Shevell Quinley of Arizona (4,246) and Wichmann (4,177), who set a personal best.

Wichmann, of Jena, Germany, also set a personal best in the 60-meter hurdles (8.95 seconds) and tied her best mark in the high jump (1.75 meters, 5 feet, 8.75 inches). Wichmann also set a pentathlon-event personal mark in the shot put (14.11, 46-3.5). After the long jump (5.54, 18-2.25), Wichmann ran a 2:19.68 in the 800-meter to move from ninth to fourth place.

"I knew if I did everything I'm capable of doing and put it all together during this competition, I'd put up a good score," Wichmann said in a story at the UH athletics Web site. "I was hoping for a top six finish but I didn't expect to place as high as I did. It all came together here today. My long jump wasn't my best effort but I still managed to put together a good score."

The two-day NCAA meet ends tonight. Michigan led the women's team competition with 26 points after the pentathlon. Arizona State was a point behind.

Florida State led the men's competition with 36 points. The Seminoles have never won the men's indoor title, but they were in good shape following freshman Gonzalo Barroilhet's victory in the heptathlon Saturday. Barroilhet finished with 5,951 points.

The Tennessee men were in second place in the team competition with 24 points, but the Volunteers can't catch Florida State. Tennessee has only one athlete still scheduled to compete — Rubin Williams in the 60.

The Arizona State men were third with 19 points. LSU had only three points, but the Tigers still had several top runners yet to compete and were expected to make a push for the team championship.

"We're going to have to keep doing it, or LSU could go by us," Florida State coach Bob Braman said. "And Arizona State is sneaky. They're right there."

Florida State is competing without sprint star Walter Dix, who is out with strep throat.

Egor Agafonov of Kansas won the men's weight throw for the second consecutive year with a toss of 74 feet, 6¼ inches.

Associated Press and www.hawaiiathletics.com contributed to this report.