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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A University of Maine star and a former Ellsworth High standout now competing for Stanford each finished second in an event over the weekend during the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Cal State-Sacramento’s Hornet Stadium.
University of Maine senior Viktoriya Rybalko placed second overall in the long jump late Friday night with a leap of 21 feet, 51/4 inches. Stanford junior Louie Luchini of Ellsworth recorded a time of 13 minutes, 49.81 seconds in Saturday night’s 5,000-meter run.
Rybalko’s second-place finish is the highest at the national level for a UMaine woman in Division I track and field, according to Black Bear coach Rolland Ranson.
The 20-year-old from Zaporzhye, Ukraine, was eighth after jumping 20-8 in the first round of the finals. Rybalko fouled on her second attempt but exploded for a 21-51/4 on her third try, which vaulted her into the lead.
Auburn’s Elva Goulbourne, one of the top jumpers in the world, responded after fouling on her second attempt. Goulbourne snatched back the lead with a 22-21/4.
The top nine jumpers got three more attempts, but Goulbourne and Rybalko remained 1-2.
Ineta Radevica of Nebraska and Tameisha King tied for third with leaps of 21-31/4.
Rybalko qualified for the finals by jumping 20-8, eighth of 28 competitors in the preliminary round Wednesday night. The top 12 jumpers advanced to the finals.
The eight points Rybalko picked up put Maine in a three-way tie for 33rd overall.
Luchini was fourth in his preliminary heat of the 5,000 on a cold, windy Wednesday night.
“The conditions for running were perfect,” Luchini said in a posting on the Stanford Web site. “I’m in good shape and ready to go [in Friday’s final].”
Luchini, an eight-time All-American, was competing in his second 5,000 meters at the NCAA Championships. He finished first in the 5,000 meters at the Pac-10 and NCAA West Regional Championships.
The Stanford men finished in a tie for seventh place with the University of Tennessee in the final team standings.
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