LONDON — Former Harding standout Janet Cherobon-Bawcom of the United States shattered her personal-best time during a 12th-place finish in the women’s Olympic 10,000 meters Friday.
Cherobon-Bawcom, a 2005 Harding graduate and the school’s first Olympian, finished in 31 minutes, 12.68 seconds.
Cherobon-Bawcom was one of seven athletes with Arkansas connections to compete on the first day of track and field competition at Olympic Stadium.
Little Rock’s Michael Tinsley (400 hurdles), former Arkansas runner Veronica Campbell-Brown (100 meters) and UA runner Regina George (400 meters) all advanced to the semifinals of their respective events.
Cherobon-Bawcom placed second of three American runners, about two seconds behind 11thplace finisher Amy Hastings (31:10.69).
“It was fantastic,” Cherobon-Bawcom said. “I couldn’t be any more proud to represent the country with so much support.”
Cherobon-Bawcom, born in Kenya, became eligible to represent the U.S. in the fall of 2011. She was a six-time NCAA Division II track and field All-American at Harding.
Tinsley, a 2003 graduate of Pulaski Robinson and the U.S. Olympic trials winner in the 400 hurdles last month, won his first-round heat Friday in 49.13 to advance to today’s semifinals.
“With the track being so fast it made it real easy to come out here and get into your stride pattern,” Tinsley said.
Tinsley won at the trials in 48.33, just off the career-best 48.02 he ran in 2007.
Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, a former Arkansas standout, advanced to the semifinals in the women’s 100 by winning her heat in 10.94.
Campbell-Brown, bronze medalist in the 100 at the 2004 Olympics, was among six runners to break 11.00 Friday.
American Carmelita Jeter (10.83) and Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare (10.93) posted the two fastest times in the first round. American Allyson Felix, a longtime rival of Campbell-Brown, won her heat in 11.01. The semifinals and final are today.
George, a senior at Arkansas, advanced to the semifinals in the women’s 400 by winning her heat in 51.24 Friday. George is representing Nigeria.
The semifinals are today.
Athletes with Arkansas ties failing to advance Friday were: Raymond Higgs (Razorbacks/Bahamas) in the men’s long jump (25 feet, 5 1/2 inches); Samuel Vazquez (Razorbacks/ Puerto Rico) in the men’s 1,500 (3:49.19), and former Razorback Kerri-Ann Mitchell (Canada) in the women’s 100 (11.49).
Information for this article was contributed by The Associated Press, the University of Arkansas and Harding University.
Competing today
Athletes with Arkansas connections competing in today’s events: VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN (Jamaica), semifinals/finals, 100 meters TYSON GAY (USA), round 1, 100 meters REGINA GEORGE (Nigeria), semifinals, 400 meters BECKY HOLLIDAY (USA), qualifying round, pole vault MAREK NIIT (Estonia), round 1, 100 meters TINA SUTEJ (Slovenia), qualifying round, pole vault MICHAEL TINSLEY (USA), semifinals, 400-meter hurdles
Sports, Pages 21 on 08/04/2012