A short approach didn't keep Arkansas Razorbacks senior Clive Pullen from going a long way in the triple jump Saturday night.
Pullen, a two-time NCAA indoor champion and Jamaican national champion and Olympian, went 54 feet, 7 1/4 inches at the NCAA West Preliminaries in Austin, Texas.
That was enough for Pullen, who has been slowed by a left hamstring injury, to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 7-10 in Eugene, Ore.
The top 12 finishers among 48 entrants at the East and West Preliminaries advance to Eugene.
Pullen's jump --on his second attempt after a foul on his first jump -- put him in second behind Southern California junior Eric Sloan, won took first at 55-6 1/4.
Pullen didn't take anymore attempts after his second jump since he was assured of advancing.
"Our athletic trainer, Cole Peterson, has just done an unbelievable job with Clive," University of Arkansas, Fayetteville assistant coach Travis Geopfert said. "Cole deserves a huge amount of credit for getting him back healthy and getting him ready to jump well."
Pullen injured his hamstring two weeks before the SEC Championships and was less than full speed when he went 52-4 to take fourth on May 14.
Geopfert, who coaches the field events, said Pullen used a 12-step approach Saturday rather than his customary 16 steps.
"I actually think he's back to 100 percent now," Geopfert said. "We were just being a little bit conservative and using a short approach. "But Clive looked really good. He executed the plan and just flat-out got it done."
Geopfert said Pullen did a good job of staying upbeat and fit during the last month after he was injured.
"He never put his head down," Geopfert said. "He stayed positive the whole time and continued to be a leader for this team.
"Even though he couldn't do everything 100 percent the way we wanted to do in training the last few weeks, he maintained a great fitness and strength level. We just knew we couldn't lose ground in that time when he was rehabbing.
"It made us focus on some low impact technical things. He kept himself mentally ready the whole time."
The No. 7-ranked Razorbacks' 400-meter relay team of Roy Ejiakuekwu, Kemar Mowatt, Josh Washington and Kenzo Cotton ran 38.77 for the top time Saturday night in advancing to Eugene.
Arkansas State University junior Jaylen Bacon (20.27), Cotton (20.31), Washington (20.38) and Ejiakuekwu (20.55) advanced in the 200.
ASU junior Tiaan Steenkamp cleared 7-1 3/4 in the high jump to advance.
Arkansas' defending national champion and No. 2-ranked women's team had two advance in the 1,500 with Nikki Hiltz (4:18.39) having the fastest time and Therese Haiss (4:18.77) taking third.
Taylor Werner (16:32.12) and Abby Gray (16:41.35) advanced for the Razorbacks in the 5,000.
Arkansas' 400 relay team of Payton Stumbaugh, Jada Baylark, Diana Harper and Kiara Parker ran 43.77 to advance.
Arkansas State senior Erin Farmer had the top mark in the shot-put (59-5 1/2) to advance.
Arkansas' men's team had Jack Bruce, Alex George, Austen Dalquist and Cameron Griffith going in the 5,000 late Saturday night and the Razorbacks' men and women had entries in the 1,600 relays.
Sports on 05/28/2017