Pildavs In Search Of A National Championship
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: June 7, 2012
Troy
senior javelin thrower Martins Pildavs will look for a national title
on Thursday when he takes to the field at Drake Stadium for the NCAA
Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The
meet begins on Wednesday, but Pildavs' men's javelin event begins on
Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The Latvia native is one of 24 student-athletes
competing in Des Moines,
Iowa for the javelin title.
"We
are delighted to have Martins represent Troy University and our program
at the national level," said Troy head coach Jill Lancaster.
"Martins
has had an excellent season and this is a great send off to his career
here at Troy," said Troy assistant coach Shawn Williams. "Representing
the program
at the National Championships, I look for him to have a great send off
to his record breaking career. He has represented what it means to be a
Trojan and doing it at the highest level. I am very excited to see what
he does against the best in the country."
Pildavs
qualified for the event by finishing seventh at the NCAA East
Preliminary with a throw of 68.39 meters. That came on the heels of a
second place finish at
the Sun Belt Championships in which Pildavs posted a throw of 69.87
meters.
"Martins is currently ranked 17th
going into the meet which is misleading," Lancaster said. "He has
learned a lot since missing
out on this meet last season. This season he understood the mission was
to get to the National Championships and now he as an opportunity at
the national podium."
His
best throw of the season came back on April 14 at the South Alabama
Invitational when Pildavs made a throw of 75.60 meters, a mark that
still stands as the fifth
best in the NCAA this season.
"Martins
personal best puts him in the top of the NCAA," Lancaster said. "What
matters, though, is who performs this Thursday afternoon in Des Moines."
Troy
last had athletes in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2010 when
Leander McKenzie (110m hurdles) and Lamontrey Stamper (long jump) each
walked away with All-American
honors after that season's meet in Eugene, Ore.
Live results for Thursday's event are available by clicking HERE.
For
more information on Troy Athletics, be sure to visit TroyTrojans.com.
Fans can also find Troy on Twitter at @TroyAthletics or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.
