Hoosier high jumper wins event in local invitational

Coming into competition this weekend, sophomore Ashley Rhoades had the chance to jump the NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 1.78 meters in the high jump event. Rhoades, a high jumper on the IU track and field team, got her chance at the Hoosier Hills Invitational Friday in Bloomington.\nThough she did not clear the height, she still came away victorious in the event.\nRhoades, who has worked hard all season since coming back from an ankle surgery in July, had not jumped higher than 1.63 meters going into competition on Friday.\nThe high jump started off well for Rhoades, who cleared heights of 1.65 and 1.70 on her first two attempts. \nShe then had the choice of jumping for a career best of 1.74 meters or going for the provisional mark of 1.78 meters. It was an easy choice \nfor Rhoades.\nAfter resting and talking to her coach, Rhoades stepped up eagerly to clear the bar.\n“I was really relaxed,” she said. “I warmed up well and was confident and focused.”\nShe knocked over the bar on her first two attempts. Trying to focus despite the distraction of the starting gun for the 200-meter dash, she ran toward the bar for her third and final jump, gave her best effort, but could not clear the height.\nAlthough she did not make the height, she did win the competition and was excited with her jumps. \n“I was really happy with it being a season best,” she said. “I got a chance to see the height and have an attempt at it.”\nRhoades’s roommate and fellow teammate, sophomore Kayla Smith, said she was happy to see her friend do as well as she did. \n“It was really awesome watching her jump,” Smith said. “She looked really good out there.” \nRhoades was not the only event winner on Friday for the Hoosiers. Junior Audrey Smoot won the 600-meter run. Smoot then anchored IU’s 4x400-meter relay team to victory.\nOn the men’s side, sophomore Tyler McCreary won the 800-meter run in a career-best time of 1:52.91. Freshman Andy Weatherford paced McCreary through the first 400 meters of the race.\nWeatherford had run a good race in the mile earlier in the day, finishing in second place with a time of 4:09.11, which was more than five seconds better than his previous best. Weatherford battled Daniel Mungo, who competed unattached, all the way through and finished only .28 seconds behind the winner. \nSophomore Paul Haas also had a big day on Friday with two career bests in the weight throw and shot put. Haas’s toss in the weight throw was 17.85 meters, fifth best in IU history. \nIU also had runners competing in the Tyson Invitational Friday and Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.\nIn the men’s 400-meter dash, juniors John Gunnell and Martin Stephen both recorded career bests. \nFor the women, sophomore Vera Neuenswander improved on her season best, vaulting 3.96 meters. Junior Molly Beckwith also competed well, finishing third in the 800-meter run.\nAlthough he had wanted to see some better marks, IU coach Ron Helmer said he still enjoyed watching his team work. \n“We competed hard, which resulted in some good performances,” he said.