From Emory University Athletics
The Emory University track & field teams opened the 2021 NCAA Division III national championships Thursday afternoon, competing in three different events. This year's national championships is being held at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC at the Irwin Belk Track Complex.
In action for the Eagles on day one was Isabel Saridakis in the pole vault finals, Rebekah Bondi in the long jump finals and Bondi, Michelle Rosenblum, Jessica Barbarosh and Hannah Lansberry in the 4x100m Relay.
The first event of the day was the pole vault which went down to the wire as Saridakis was among the final three competitors vying for the national championship along with Chicago's Rachel TerHaar and Ithaca's Megan Mathany. The trio were left standing in the field with the bar set at 3.85m.
All three missed clearing the height on their first two attempts, setting up a make or break third round of attempts. TerHaar failed to clear as she was the first to go in the group. Matheny, who entered as the event's top seed, went next and was able to clear the 3.85m bar, forcing Saridakis to clear to force another round at 3.90m. The Richfeld, OH native unfortunately took the bar down with her on her final attempt, ultimately placing third overall at 3.80m but eclipsing her fifth place showing from the 2019 outdoor championships for her second career outdoor All-America award.
In the 4x100m Relay, the quartet put forth a time of 47.88 in the prelims, the third fastest time run by the group this year. However, it was not enough to qualify for Saturday's final as their time was seventh in heat one and 11th overall out of the 14-team field.
Bondi rounded out the afternoon in the long jump as she collected her first-ever All-America honor in the event, placing sixth with a jump of 5.63m. The distance came during her third preliminary attempt and was her second-best jump of her career.
The outdoor championships continue Friday afternoon with Brett Henshey competing in the finals of the high jump at 2:30 PM with Bondi to follow at 3:30 PM with the preliminary heats of the 100m Dash.