The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Conference USA Championships
Barker Sixth After Day One Of C-USA Heptathlon
5/9/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
May 9, 2013
HOUSTON ----- UAB's Shelby Barker set a pair of personal bests and tied another here Thursday as the sophomore is in sixth place in the heptathlon after day one of the 2013 Conference USA Track and Field Championship.
Barker has 2,981 points after the first four events with the final three to be contested on Friday. There are 14 competitors in the conference field.
"Shelby started off really well," said Blazers' head coach Kurt Thomas. "She set two PRs on the first two events and tied a seasonal best on a third event. You can't ask for a more solid start than that on a two-day, grueling event like the heptathlon. She sits in sixth place now, which is good. She has lots of work to do still. She can be third, or ninth real quick in this conference."
Vanessa Jules of Marshall is the first-day leader with 1,004 points. Xenia Rahn of Memphis is second with 942 points.
The product of Roswell, Ga. finished with a time of 15.26 in the 100-meter hurdles and followed that with a 5-5 1/4 in the high jump to establish personal-best performances in both events. She later produced a shot put effort of 32-2 ¼ to equal her season best. Baker completed her day by running a 25.41 in the 200 meters, the fifth-best time among the 14 competitors.
The heptathlon will wrap up Friday with the long jump, javelin and 800-meter run.
"She's very solid in two of the three events tomorrow, the long jump and the 800 meters, and needs to work hard in the javelin to keep up," Thomas said. "She's doing well, and I think she's setting herself up to do great tomorrow. It's always good to start out a long event like a conference track meet on a positive note and she's done that. The weather is going to be a factor tomorrow, so it could be a battle of the toughest, but I like our chances".
Friday's events also include the women's 10,000 meters with UAB senior Rhiannon Johns highlighting the field. Johns, ranked among the top distance runners in the country, won the 10,000-meter event at the Conference USA Championship in both 2010 and 2011 before redshirting last year. She will be a favorite Friday when the runners start the race at Holloway Field/Ley Track.
