Ellerton Cruises into 800-Meter Run Final at NCAA Meet

Thursday, June 10

Austin, Texas

Michigan

NCAA Outdoor Championships (Day 2)

Ellerton Cruises into 800-Meter Run Final at NCAA Meet

6/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field

AUSTIN, Texas -- University of Michigan sophomore Andrew Ellerton (Sudbury, Ontario/Confederation HS) qualified for the men's 800-meter run final after registering the event's fifth-fastest in the preliminary round at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday (June 10) at Texas' Myers Track Stadium.

Ellerton hopes to add an NCAA crown to his Big Ten and Mideast Regional titles.

Clocking a time of 1:47.10 -- the second-fastest mark of his career -- Ellerton earned an automatic trip to the finals with a runner-up performance in the first heat of the event. After inclement weather wiped out yesterday's 800-meter preliminaries, the three-round format was shortened to just two rounds, with qualification going to the two top finishers from each of three heats as well as the next three fastest times.

As Kent State's Mike Inge set a quick early pace, running 51.33 through the first 400 meters, Ellerton stayed in the middle of the pack, running in the fourth position before moving into third at the halfway point. The Wolverine collected another position coming out of the final bend, coasting on the heels of leader Jesse O'Connell of Georgetown as the pair pulled away from the rest of the field down the final stretch.

Ellerton will a day off before returning to the track for the 800-meter final at 8:45 p.m. CDT on Saturday (June 12), the fourth and final day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Event Winners/U-M Finishes

800-meter Run (Prelims) Heat 1 1. Jesse O'Connell, Georgetown 1:46.78Q 2. Andrew Ellerton, U-M 1:47.10Q Q indicates qualification for finals

Q U O T E S

Sophomore Andrew Ellerton
On the 800-meter race ... "I basically used the same strategy I usually use: I stayed in the middle of the pack through the first lap, working up to the front and kicking at the end. The race really went as we had planned. We knew that (Mike) Inge would take it out from the gun, so it was just a matter of staying calm and sitting around before I made my move. I felt a little flat today, but I got the job done. I'm glad to have a day off tomorrow, and I'll be good to go on Saturday."

On the elimination of the semifinal round ... "Strategy-wise, I don't think it really affected me a whole lot; I still went out looking for one of the two automatic spots. It certainly added a lot more intensity to the preliminaries; there was a lot less room for error."

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423