28
Mar, 2016
Barbara Nwaba ‘07: American Pentathlon Champion!
[Posted March 28, 2016] Congratulations to a former Uni star athlete who won another U.S. national championship in track & field: Barbara Nwaba ‘07.
After becoming the U.S. Heptathlon champ in 2015 (see her throwing the javelin above) and competing for the United States in the World Track & Field Championships last summer in Beijing, China, she won the U.S. indoor Pentathlon title in Crete, Nebraska on February 26-27 with 4,415 points. Her marks included:
- 8.62 in the 60 m Hurdles;
- 6-0 in the High Jump;
- 46-1 1/2 in the Shot Put;
- 18-4 1/2 in the Long Jump, and
- 2:15.85 in the 800 m.
The UC Santa Barbara graduate qualified to represent the U.S. in the World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon on March 18 and performed marvelously, setting a new personal best of 4,661 to place fourth, her best finish ever in an international championship. Her marks:
- 8.43 in the 60 m Hurdles;
- 5-11 1/2 in the High Jump;
- 49-2 1/2 in the Shot Put;
- 19-2 in the Long Jump, and
- 2:10.07 in the 800 m.
Her score makes her the sixth-best American ever in the indoor pentathlon, and she finished just 109 points short of the bronze medal. A great performance which portends well for her chances to make the U.S. Olympic Team this summer and participate in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!