|
|
NOV.
19 — Petkova Claims Third All-American Finish
Junior
makes it three for three in latest NAIA Championships effort |
Louisville, KY — Junior Petrana
Petkova added to her growing collection of NAIA All-American trophies
Saturday afternoon, finishing in 21st place at the 50th annual
NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Championships at E.P.
Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. Petkova’s
time of 18:14.80 was her best clip in three national championship
appearances— the top 30 runners claim All-American honors — giving
Goshen its first ever two-time All-American in the sport. Petkova
claimed her first award while competing at Central Methodist University
during her freshman year.
“Petrana ran a very smart, steady race Saturday to capture
her third All-American honor in women’s cross country,” said
Doug Yoder, Goshen head coach. “Her time was the best for
this course in her last three years. She should be very proud of
her accomplishments.”
Sunny skies, a slight breeze and temperatures around the 50 degree
mark made for a perfect morning to run, as Petkova began the race
in strong fashion. Hitting the 3,000-meter mark at 10:32.80, Petkova
found herself in 19th place in a tight pack of runners.
“Petrana got off to a good start, running her pace on the
slightly rolling, grassy course,” Yoder said. “She
wasn’t
too worried about anyone else, which is important in a race of
this size and magnitude.”
Petkova continued to push as the event wore on, edging out Francine
Nzilampa of Savannah College of Art & Design by eighth tenths
of a second to finish 21st. Star Emmert of Shawnee State University
finished just ahead of Petkova in 20th place, taking a 18:13.30
clip.
“As usual, there were several tight packs of runners that
began to separate from one another as the event wore on,” Yoder
said. “Petrana got into a comfortable spot and was able to
run a personal best time on the course.”
Petkova’s 18:14.80 finish was just off the Goshen school
record she had set a month earlier, posting an 18:13 clip at the
Mid-Central Conference Championships to become the school’s
first ever two-time conference champion. And while Petkova’s
Saturday time improved by four seconds from the 2004 national championship,
her finish did not: Petkova took home 12th place in last year’s
national championship race, finishing in a time of 18:17.00.
“A lot of things can contribute to just how good a time really
is in any given meet,” Yoder said. “Last year the course
was muddy, so you had slower times higher up in the standings.
And, as with any sport, the competition from year to year can fluctuate.
This year’s field was extremely talented.”
Julia Howard of Simon Fraser University won individual medalist
honors, finishing the race in a time of 17:24.15. That effort led
Simon Fraser to its third consecutive team championship. For a
complete review of all finishers, times and results, click here.
For Petkova, the All-American finish was her third in cross country
and eighth overall, as the Bulgaria native has claimed two such
honors in indoor track and three in outdoor track competitions.
She is the first Goshen College athlete, male or female, to have
accomplished such a feat. Even excluding the pair of All-American
finishes Petkova claimed during the 2003-2004 year at Central Methodist
(she finished in 27th place in that year’s cross country
championships and also took an indoor track All-American award),
Petkova’s six All-American finishes in a Goshen College uniform
is still tops in school history. Only 2004 graduate Heidi Saunders
came close to Petkova’s mark, winning five total All-American
honors in both cross country and track and field during her four
years at Goshen.
Check back to this website for continual off-season information,
including team events and recruiting news. To contact Doug Yoder,
click here to send an email or call him at (574) 535-7495.
|
  Junior
Petrana Petkova
|
|
|
|
|
|
