Saturday, May 27
Sacramento, CA
All Day
California Baptist University
at
NCAA Division I West Region Prelims
Photo by: Ryley Collom
Karinauskaite and Petrova Stamp Tickets to Nationals After Thrilling Day 4 Performances
5/27/2023 11:57:00 PM | Cross Country & Track
SACRAMENTO--- The final day of the West Regionals was one for the books for California Baptist University. Greta Karinauskaite and Yasna Petrova became the first two Lances in program history to qualify for the National Championships in Austin, Texas, and did so in dramatic fashion.
Karinauskaite set multiple records once again in her steeplechase, while Petrova made a dramatic final leg push to punch their tickets to the final stage.
Following her incredible performance in the WAC Championships in Nacogdoches, where she ran 9:35.35 en route to becoming an individual champion, Karinauskaite followed that up with another outstanding performance. Greta ran 9:26.88, 12 seconds faster than her next closest competition. The time set a West Regional, NCAA First Round, program, and Hornet stadium record. Greta also ran the fastest time ever by a Lithuanian-born athlete in the steeplechase, and it marked the fastest time run this season in the NCAA. Perhaps most impressive, Karinauskiate's was the 14th fastest time in the world this year and the fifth fastest time in NCAA history.
Petrova also put together her most impressive race of the season and did so in the women's 5K. Petrova entered the race as the 24th seed in her heat and 33rd overall and finished sixth in her heat and 11th overall. Petrova ran a personal best of 15:45.14, which was the second-fastest time in program history, and bested her previous time by 23 seconds.
Petrova spent most of the race fluctuating between ninth and 11th place before a big kick in the final two laps. Yasna pushed her way to seventh place and eventually overtook Taylor Roe of Oklahoma State to take the sixth place spot. Petrova missed out on the automatic bid by one spot, but her time helped grab her one of the two at-large bids and send her to Nationals.
Petrova and Karinauskaite will compete at Nationals, which begins on Wednesday, June 7th, and goes to Saturday, June 10th.
Karinauskaite set multiple records once again in her steeplechase, while Petrova made a dramatic final leg push to punch their tickets to the final stage.
Following her incredible performance in the WAC Championships in Nacogdoches, where she ran 9:35.35 en route to becoming an individual champion, Karinauskaite followed that up with another outstanding performance. Greta ran 9:26.88, 12 seconds faster than her next closest competition. The time set a West Regional, NCAA First Round, program, and Hornet stadium record. Greta also ran the fastest time ever by a Lithuanian-born athlete in the steeplechase, and it marked the fastest time run this season in the NCAA. Perhaps most impressive, Karinauskiate's was the 14th fastest time in the world this year and the fifth fastest time in NCAA history.
Petrova also put together her most impressive race of the season and did so in the women's 5K. Petrova entered the race as the 24th seed in her heat and 33rd overall and finished sixth in her heat and 11th overall. Petrova ran a personal best of 15:45.14, which was the second-fastest time in program history, and bested her previous time by 23 seconds.
Petrova spent most of the race fluctuating between ninth and 11th place before a big kick in the final two laps. Yasna pushed her way to seventh place and eventually overtook Taylor Roe of Oklahoma State to take the sixth place spot. Petrova missed out on the automatic bid by one spot, but her time helped grab her one of the two at-large bids and send her to Nationals.
Petrova and Karinauskaite will compete at Nationals, which begins on Wednesday, June 7th, and goes to Saturday, June 10th.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country & Track
/ Cross Country & Track
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