California Baptist University
NCAA National Championships
Karinauskaite Qualifies Her Way to the Steeplechase Finals on Day 2 from Eugene
6/6/2024 9:00:00 PM | Cross Country & Track
EUGENE, ORE--- For the second straight season, Greta Karinauskaite advanced into the Steeplechase Finals at the Outdoor Track and Field Nationals, doing so this time with a second-place finish in her heat.
Karinauskaite, the national runner-up last season in Austin, entered the week as the fourth-ranked athlete in the competition and was coming off a top finish at the West Regionals. Karinauskaite kept a steady pace in the semis and would end up placing 6th overall and second in her heat with a time of 9:50.11.
Karinauskaite hung out in the top half of the large pack to begin through three laps before she and the two Notre Dame runners broke away and created a lead pack for the rest of the race. The Fighting Irish runners of Olivia Markezich and Sophie Novak would run side-by-side with Karinauskaite for the final 1,800 meters of the race, with the largest gap between them being around a few inches. Markezich was the 2023 Steeplechase Champion in Austin last season, while her teammate Novak was the fifth-ranked athlete in the event this season. The three leaders would cross the line at nearly identical times, but it would be Markezich, who would have the fastest time by an eyelash, finishing 0.03 seconds ahead of Karinauskaite.
Overall, Karinauskaite would clock the sixth fastest time in the two heats of the steeplechase, with just a two-second gap separating her and second-place finisher Elise Thorner of Florida. Doris Lemngole of Alabama, the collegiate leader, would record the fastest time in the semis, clocking in with a time of 9:38.69 in the first heat.
Karianuskaite will advance to Saturday's finals, where she will compete in a 12-runner field and look to win a medal for a second straight season. The Steeplechase Finals will begin at 2:54 PM PT on ESPN and ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
