AUSTIN, Texas – Competing against some of the best runners in the country, Illinois State junior Jack Anstey finished strong in the men's 1,500-meter race to earn First-Team All-America honors at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas.
The Newtown Toowoomba, Australia, native finished fifth in his flight on Wednesday to earn his spot in the 12-runner final on Friday night. Anstey stayed in the middle of the pack for the majority of the race, but a strong kick at the end helped him cross the finish line in a time of 3:42.73 to finish seventh overall and earn first-team All-America honors.
"Jack has come a very long way, in that he qualified for his first national meet and was just one second away from winning a national title," ISU Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Jeff Bovee said. "He has so much more room to develop as a young distance runner. The future is very bright for this young man and I am so proud to be his coach."
Anstey is the first Illinois State male track and field athlete to earn All-America honors since 2014, when Curt Jensen finished eighth in the shot put. He is the first non-field athlete to earn All-America honors since 2000, when Christian Goy also finished in the top 8 in the 1,500-meters.
"It's been a long road, with more lows than highs for me but that makes this moment all the sweeter," Anstey stated. It's been a crazy journey to get here, and I'm excite for what's to come in the future."
Anstey posted a career-best performance in the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA West Preliminary Round to punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships. His time of 3:41.81 was not only a personal-best, but also an Illinois State school record topping the previous record of 3:42.19 that was set by MVC Hall-of-Famer and NCAA All-American Christian Goy in 2001 and had stood untouched for 18 years.
Teammates Kameesha Smith (High Jump – 5 p.m.) and Sydney Laufenberg (Discus – 5:05 p.m.) will each compete tomorrow at the NCAA Championships. Fans can follow their progress live online or watch on ESPN3.
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