GULF SHORES, Ala. – Sophomore Anthony Johnson (Seattle, Wash./Garfield HS/Pima CC) earned All-America honors for the second team this year, taking second in the men’s high jump at the 2014 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Mickey Miler Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores, Ala. Johnson also competed in the men’s long jump, while teammate Wes Jones (Tacoma, Wash./Mt. Tahoma HS) ran in the prelims of the 800m run.
Johnson, who entered the competition as one of the favorites to win the event, cleared 2.06m (6-9.0) on his first attempt to clinch All-America honors but he wasn’t done yet. It took him two attempts to clear 2.09m (6-10.25) but just one more to clear his final height of 2.12m (6-11.5), which gave him the tiebreak over Embry-Riddle sophomore Rico Saldana, who took three attempts to clear 2.12m. The only jumper to best Johnson the night was Davenport sophomore Tori Brooks, who cleared 2.15m (7-0.25) on his second attempt to earn the national title.
In the preliminary heats of the men’s 800m run, Jones briefly led on the backstretch of the second lap but began to made with about 200m to run as he was unable to make the finals, finishing fifth in the heat with a time of 1:53.88. His time placed him 19th overall among 33 runners.
Competing in the event for just the third time this season, Johnson opened up his first NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the men’s long jump.
After fouling on his first two jumps, Johnson managed a clean jump on his third attempt, travelling 6.68m (21-11.0) to miss the finals by just two spots, finishing in 11th place overall. Wayland Baptist junior Wayne Northover won the national title in the event, jumping 7.42m (24-4.25) on his first jump of the final round.
Thanks to the second-place finish by Johnson in the high jump, the Geoducks are currently 18th in the team standings after two days of competition with eight points. The NAIA Championship meet concludes on Saturday.