Johnson, Merckle compete at NCAAs
EUGENE, Ore. – Shawn Johnson of Canonsburg, a senior at Auburn University, placed fifth Friday night in the men’s triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by the University of Oregon.
Johnson’s best jump of 53-5 was a just shy of his personal best and gave him first team All-America status.
Texas A&M’s Latario Collie was the triple jump winner with a leap of 55-8¼.
Last season, Johnson was the first Auburn triple jumper to qualify for the NCAA outdoor meet in more than a decade. He finished 14th last year.
Johnson still has a chance to qualify for the Olympic Trials next month. The trials also will be held at Oregon’s Hayward Field.
Wake Forest senior Jessie Merckle, a Hickory native, placed 10th Thursday night in the women’s javelin competition and earned second team All-America status.
It is the third time Merckle has been an All-American.
Merckle’s best throw was 166-9, on her second throw. That moved her into ninth place – the top nine advanced to the final – but was later bumped to 10th.
Texas A&M’s Maggie Malone won the event with an NCAA-record throw of 204-0.
A three-time Atlantic Coast Conference champion, Merckle placed seventh in the NCAA meet last year and was 12th in 2014. She holds the Wake Forest school record with a throw of 186-9.