Ida Nilsson Ends NCAA Career with Surprise 5000m Victory NAU Press Release
03/11/2005) FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Ida Nilsson led the evening session off for
the Lumberjacks with a perfect storybook ending to her phenomenal career.
Nilsson tallied up her second individual national championship by winning
the women's 5,000-meters. "I felt great during the race," said Nilsson. The
senior broke the line with a time of 15:50 to earn her second national
championship crown. The newly crowned national champion moved herself in
front of the pack by posting a pair of 72-second splits half way through the
race. Nilsson eventually broke herself away from the field by wining her
final race for the Lumberjacks. The senior will end her career with an
all-time school record of 11 All-American honors.
"I knew that I could do it, but I was very surprised of the outcome," said
Nilsson. I have had so many great memories from NAU and I can't believe
that it is over. This and the steeplechase title definitely will be the
highlights of my career."
"We are extremely
excited to bring back a national champion to Northern Arizona University
with Ida Nilsson," said Director of track and field J.W. Hardy. This is the
national championship and we told the kids to go and compete. To bring three
kids home in the top-15 is a magnificent achievement. This is a great day
for our program and we have a lot of great things to look forward to in the
future.
Nilsson will end her career with NAU by matching her performance
from last springs NCAA Outdoor Championships winning the women's 3,000-meter
steeplechase. Nilsson writes herself into the record books as the fifth
national champion in NAU History. The senior combined for two NCAA
individual championships and over 25 Big Sky Conference titles.
"Ida
ran a spectacular race and we are very proud of her," said Hardy. "She is a
hard working kid that is very deserving of the honor. This is a great
achievement for her and our program.
Northern Arizona sophomore
sensation Karim Chester began a very successful representation for the
Lumberjack track and field program at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field
Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., by earning his first All-American
honor. "I was very nervous going into the meet," said Chester. "It took me
five throws to actually calm down. This was still a wonderful experience for
me and I am very excited to finish as high as I did in the competition. I am
looking forward to cheering my teammates on later in the day.
Chester
fought his way through a very competitive field of athletes. The sophomore
started the meet with a bit of pre-meet jitters, but was still able to come
through with a personal record on his last attempt. The sophomore topped the
competition by landing an enormous throw and moving up to finish in
fifth-place. Chester broke his own school and conference record with a throw
of 69-11.75 to win him his first All-American honor.
"We worked a lot
on technical aspects going into the meet," said throws coach Mohamad
Saatara. "I am very happy for Karim and the way he battled his way back to
the top. I can't ask anything more of an athlete, but to throw their best at
a competition and Karim did just that. To end the meet on a personal best
throw and beat the school and conference record is phenomenal. This should
build some great momentum going into outdoors.
"I am very proud of Karim
and the fact that he was able to earn his first All-American honor," said
Director of track and field J.W. Hardy. "This was a great way for our
program to begin the meet.
As a true freshman, Chester finished in the
top-25 at the NCAA outdoor championships in the men's hammer
throw.
Henrik Ahnstrom followed by placing in 12-place in very
prestigious men's 5,000-meters. "Henrik ran a perfect race," said distance
coach John Hayes. "We are very proud of how all our kids performed today. We
will now reevaluate our situation and build momentum for outdoors.
"I
am very excited of the opportunity that I had here tonight," said
Ahnstrom. "I really want to put this race behind me and build for outdoors. I
need to add some more aerobic workouts and get ready for a long and exciting
outdoor season. The senior crossed the line in 14:04,
respectively.
Ahnstrom finished out the competition for the Lumberjacks
on a very positive note going into the final day of the meet. The men will
finish the championships with a team point total of 4 points. The women will
finish the meet with 10 points led by Nilsson.
Northern Arizona Track
and field will be back in action at the Baldy Castillo Invitational at in
state rival Arizona State University. The meet will feature a great deal of
Big 10, PAC 10, and Big 12 competition. Competition is scheduled to begin on
Friday the 18th.
