FROM STAFF REPORTS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Texas Tech coach Wes Kittley thought it would be difficult for many of his athletes to score points at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships.

It turned out to be even tougher than he might have expected.

Three of the Red Raiders’ best chances for points — throwers Harrison Benjamin, Patience Knight and Ozie Okolie — all failed to advance through preliminaries Wednesday as the four-day meet got under way at John McDonnell Field.

The good news for the Red Raiders: Gil Roberts won his heat in the 400 meters, and Asia Diaz and Gilbert Limo ran personal-record times in the women’s 800 and the men’s steeplechase to keep their seasons alive.

The early exits were particularly shocking for Benjamin, a senior who had shattered personal bests twice recently, and for Knight, an all-American who finished fifth in the shot put at last year’s national outdoor. They were ranked fourth and fifth in the nation, respectively, in their events.

Benjamin broke 62 feet in winning the Big 12 Conference shot put title May 17 in Lubbock and broke 64 feet in winning the Midwest Regional on May 29.

He finally had an off day Wednesday, finishing 17th with a best effort of 59 feet, 21/4 inches. Knight, in the shot put, and Okolie, in the hammer throw, both finished 14th. Only the top 12 in the throws advanced to the finals. Knight threw 51-7, Okolie 187-0.

The news wasn’t all bad for Tech on the first day, though.

Diaz, a first-time national outdoor qualifier in her last year, advanced to the semifinals in the 800. The senior from Garland Naaman Forest ran a time of 2 minutes, 5.60 seconds and got fifth in her heat. That earned her a spot in the semifinals at 7:15 p.m. today.

After waiting out a rain delay that interrupted the running events, Roberts took the first step toward what he hopes will be a national title in the 400. The NCAA’s second-ranked quarter miler won his heat in 45.93 — the third-fastest prelim time out of 26 runners. The semifinals are at 7:25 p.m. Friday.

Roberts and the 1,600-meter relay that he’s part of now appear to be Tech’s best chance to make a big splash on the men’s side. On the women’s side, four-time national outdoor qualifier D’Andra Carter goes at 10:30 a.m. today in the prelims of the discus. She’s trying to be an all-American in outdoor for the third year in a row after finishing sixth and third the last two years.

The last Tech athlete to compete on Wednesday was Lillian Badaru, whose 5,000-meter prelim was set to start at about midnight, thanks to the rain delay. Just before then, Limo had an uplifting effort in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, clocking an 8:41.85. That was fifth-best in the prelims and moved the sophomore from Kenya into the finals at 6:40 p.m. Friday.

The time was a personal record for Limo and a sign that he’s recovered well from a knee injury he suffered in late April at the Penn Relays.

Other Tech athletes who failed to advance were freshman Terra Evans in the 100 meters, junior Sandra Iwunze in the 400-meter hurdles and junior Darrell Roddick in the long jump. Roddick has triple-jump competition left, starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Evans made it through prelims of the women’s 100 but, after the rain delay, finished last a few hours later in the semifinals.

Iwunze, who has been bothered by a bad hamstring since January, ran one of her slowest times — 1 minute flat. That was only 25th out of 27 entries.

Roddick’s best in the long jump was 24-21/4, good for 24th.

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