Wichmann makes it 3 straight WAC heptathlon titles

Annett Wichmann of Hawaii won the event again, but Idaho's depth in the heptathlon gave the Vandals the team lead when the first points of the WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships were awarded yesterday.

Wichmann won the seven-discipline event for the third straight year. She did it with 5,266 points, off her personal best of 5,557. Yesterday, the second and final day of the competition, Wichmann added a 153-foot, 1-inch throw of the javelin for another best mark of the competition. She also was first in the shot and the long jump on Wednesday.

Wichmann said she accomplished what she had planned by doing just enough to get the 10 points for first place in the seven-event heptathlon. She still had the individual long jump and javelin events today and the high jump, long jump and 4x400 relay tomorrow in which to compete.

"With five more events to go I had to conserve energy," Wichmann said yesterday in a phone call from Boise, Idaho, site of the meet. "I'm happy to get the 10 points, that was the goal."

UH's Emily Sheppard was seventh overall in the heptathlon with 4,471 points, giving Hawaii a total of 12 points for the event. But Idaho took second through fourth places and tied for fifth to amass 22.5 points.

Rainbow Wahine coach Carmyn James said her team has enough possible points today and tomorrow to contend for its first-ever WAC championship in track and field. Doubters abound, pointing to defending champion Louisiana Tech's dominance of the sprints.

"We have four (entrants) in the hammer, four in the discus, two in the shot and two in the javelin," James said, citing UH's depth in the throwing events. UH should also score well in the jumps, with Wichmann leading the way.