Sappleton Finishes Eighth In 800 At NCAA T&F Championships

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Junior Aldywn Sappleton, an at-large entry in the field, finished eighth in the 800-meter run tonight at the 2003 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a 1:48.08. He earned individual All-America honors for the first time in his Sooner career with the finish at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex on the campus of California State-Sacramento.

Sappleton took the early lead and was in the top four of the race at the midway point. He got trapped in the pack at the 600 meter mark and could not get through the pack to make his traditional kick at the end of the race.

"This was a good experience for me," Sappleton said after the race. "It gave me more experience with big races. It's one more big race under my belt and that will make me a better competitor in the future. I was ready to make a move at the end but just couldn't get around the pack. I am happy to earn All-America honors as an individual. I will use this experience to prepare for the future."

Sappleton became OU's third All-American in the 2003 NCAA meet. Senior Mike Westlund finished fourth in the pole vault on Friday night to become a five-time Sooner All-American and freshman Kevin Bookout was eighth in the shot put to earn All-America honors for the first time in his OU career.

Sappleton also became the first Sooner to earn All-America honors in the outdoor 800 meter run since former Sooner Olympian Randy Wilson did so in 1978.

Arkansas won the men's team title with 59 points while Louisiana State won the women's title with 64. The Sooner men tied for 32nd with seven points.

For complete results from meet, go to www.ncaasports.com.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sappleton Finishes Eighth In 800 At NCAA T&F Championships

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