Chambana Sun

The Illinois men's track and field team concluded their participation in the NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 7 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Sophomore Viktor Morozov achieved a collegiate-best performance in the triple jump, securing 13th place with a distance of 15.94 meters (52-3 3/4). This achievement ranks seventh in the school's history. His personal best, however, remains at 16.45 meters (53-11 1/2), recorded at the 2023 European U20 Championships, which is second in program history.

Petros Kyprianou, director of track, field and cross country, commented on the team's overall performance: "We came here with the majority of our athletes never competing in NCAA Finals competition before. Unfortunately, we didn't perform at our expectations. However, I'm excited about where we should be next year with all these young men returning with more experience and confidence."

Morozov's season included a fourth-place finish in the triple jump at the Big Ten Indoor Championships and seventh place at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships. He also achieved a notable long jump record for Illinois during the Fighting Illini Tune-Up.

Junior Kam Garrett participated in his first NCAA Outdoor Championships and placed 17th in the high jump with a clearance of 2.12 meters (6-11 1/2). Earlier this season, he matched Illinois' school record set by Gail Olson with a leap of 2.21 meters (7-3) at the Big Ten Championships.

Evan Correll made history for Illinois by becoming the inaugural National Champion in the 100m wheelchair race with a time of 14.33 seconds.

Kyprianou expressed pride in his team's efforts: "We're proud of the team's and staff's efforts this season; we're excited about closing out with our women tomorrow."

The women's team will conclude their season on June 8, featuring Jessica McDowell, Bara Sajdokova, Darja Sopova, and Rose Yeboah. The event will be broadcasted on ESPN at 4 p.m. CT.