Photos by Patrick Boling, Clemson Athletic Communications
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On March 23, 2018, Clemson senior long jumper Chris McBride suffered a season-ending knee injury on his fourth attempt at North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. Today, McBride – who won the 2019 ACC indoor long jump title – jumped a season-best 7.61m (24-11.75) in his first return to Hodges Stadium to punch his ticket to his fourth career NCAA Track & Field Championships (second outdoor appearance). McBride finished 10th overall among 48 total long jumpers.
“We all knew he was a competitor; he was a competitor before his unfortunate injury,” said Clemson Track & Field head coach Mark Elliott. “Today shows you what kind of person he is. Coming back from an injury, then coming back to the place where he sustained that injury, and making it on to the national championship again is a true testament to his talent and his work ethic on the field. We’re all proud of what Chris [McBride] has done and now it’s just about getting his foot on the board, so he can hit his real mark.”
On the track, the Tigers saw their first runner qualify for a quarterfinal event with Lakeisha Warner in the 400mH. In a race that came down to the final 100 meters, Warner (59.15) earned a second-place finish in heat 2 to automatically qualify for Friday’s quarterfinals (7 p.m.). In the first round of the women’s 100m dash, junior Rebekah Smith earned her berth in Friday’s quarterfinals (6 p.m.) after placing third in heat No. 5 with a time of 11.48 seconds.
The Tigers resume action at the 2019 NCAA East Prelims Friday, May 24. In the field, Veronica Fraley (discus) and Dylan Ahrens (javelin) are scheduled to get things started for Clemson at noon. Sidney Marshall and Ebony Williams are slated to compete in Friday’s first event on the track at 4:30 p.m. in the first round of the women’s 100mH.
NCAA track and field fans can watch live and on-demand coverage of the NCAA Division I East and/or West Preliminary Championships on FloTrack with a Pro subscription. Coverage of the preliminary competitions will be available May 23-25. To access the East Preliminary coverage please click here. To access the West Preliminary coverage please click here.
For more information regarding the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, including how to purchase tickets, log on to NCAA.com/trackandfield.
Women’s 100m First Round10. Rebekah Smith, 11.48 (Q); placed third in heat No. 5
Women’s 800m First Round26. Kamryn McIntosh, 2:06.7231. Andrea Foster, 2:07.36
Men’s 800m First Round45. Malik Epps;, 1:53.03
Women’s 400mH First Round24. Lakeisha Warner, 59.15 (Q); placed second in heat No. 2— Markeeta Thomas, DNF
Men’s Long Jump10. Chris McBride, 7.61m (24-11.75); advanced to NCAA Outdoor Championships … season best
For complete coverage of the Tiger track & field team, follow @ClemsonTrackXC on Twitter and Instagram, and ‘Clemson University Track & Field’ on Facebook.
