KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
KAZAN, Russia – Indiana State's Felisha Johnson competed in her first international competition as she placed seventh in the finals of the women's shot put while Greggmar Swift, competing for his native Barbados, had a disappointing finish to his competition as he fell in the finals of the men's 110 meter hurdles Thursday.
Johnson's best throw in the final round came on her third attempt and went 57'-3¾” (17.47 meters) which advanced her to the final three throws. However, she was unable to better that mark to finish in seventh place.
“It would have been nice to see her throw farther but it was a good effort,” Erin Gilreath, Indiana State throws coach, said. “I don't think she has ever competed in that style of a competition either where you have a qualifying round one day and the final the next day aside from the Olympic Trials last year.”
Gilreath believes that the experience with the championship format will serve her well in the future.
“This year she got small taste of what she is capable of in the shot. It is going to take a big commitment to change something and be uncomfortable for a while kin order for her to really reach that next level she needs to be at to be competitive internationally.”
Irina Tarsova (Russia) took the Gold medal with a throw of 61'-6¼” (18.75 meters) on her fifth attempt which topped Xiangrong Liu (China) who took the Silver with a throw of 60'-11½” (18.58 meters) on his sixth attempt. Natalia Duco (Chile) claimed the Bronze with a throw of 58'-11¼” (17.96 meters). The other American in the competition, Jeneva McCall, placed eighth with a throw of 55'-11” (17.04 meters). McCall won the Gold medal in the hammer throw on Wednesday.
Swift hit the sixth hurdle with his lead foot and fell in the finals of the men's 110 meter hurdles as he failed to finish a race for the first time in his career.
“He was pressing and that happens to great hurdlers in big races,” John McNichols, Indiana State men's track & field head coach, said. “That is part of the adjustment to compete in the big time. You have to adjust to the pressure and run under control between the white stripes. He pressed and tried to run faster between the hurdles and that gets you into trouble. He hit with his lead foot which is not good for hurdler and this is the first time that I have seen him fall in a race.”
Eddie Lovett (Virgin Islands) took home the Gold with a time of 13.43 seconds as he edged out Konstantin Shabonov (Russia) who earned Silver with a time of 13.46 and Sergei Shubenkov (Russia) who took the Bronze with a time of 13.47.
The Sycamore advanced to the finals at the World University Games for the first time in his career after placing ninth at the 2011 WUG. He also had trouble in the qualification round but pulled out a second place finish in the third heat with a time of 13.75 to automatically qualify for the finals. Swift finished behind Germany's Erik Balnuweit who won the third heat in 13.60.
Lovett was runner up at the 2013 NCAA Championships while competing for Florida with Swift finishing seventh.
Swift is not the first Sycamore to fall in the finals of the 110 meter hurdles at the World University Games. Indiana State's Aubrey Herring reached the finals at the 2001 Games in Beijing, China, and fell during the race. Frankie Young is the only other member of the Indiana State men's team to compete at the World University Games as he placed 10th in the long jump at the 1999 Games in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Johnson is the first member of the women's track & field team to compete at the World University Games.
The XXVII Summer Universiade is being in Kazan, Russia, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, through July 17. The Universiade, also known as the World University Games, is organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
