TXST TRACK AND FIELD
Bobcat duo make history as first teammates to qualify at nationals
This is the first of three articles covering the historic group of Bobcat Track Athletes who have qualified to compete at the NCAA National Track Meet.
In the history of Texas State Track and Field for both men and women, the Bobcats have never sent two athletes to nationals competing in the same event – until now.
The hammerthrowing duo of Elisabet Runarsdottir and Lara Roberts made history by becoming the first pair of Bobcat teammates to qualify for the NCAA National Outdoor Track Meet in the same sport.
“First of all, it is great to be heading back to Nationals,” Runarsdottir said. “It is a great meet and the atmosphere is [amazing]. We are both excited to be going there, but it shows that our consistency through the season has really paid off.”
Runarsdottir placed second at the NCAA West with a throw of 221 feet, 9 inches and Roberts placed third with a throw of 221 feet, one inch.
Runarsdottir will advance to her second straight nationals while Roberts will head to her first nationals as a freshman.
It has been a successful season for the Icelandic native who has been dominant in the event.
Runarsdottir set a personal best this season with a throw of 230 feet, nine inches which set the Iceland national record at the Bobcat Invitational.
Runarsdottir also placed second at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays before taking first place at the Sun Belt Conference Meet.
“I have been throwing for a long time,” Runarsdottir said. “It’s mainly about working on the things that have not been going well. I continually want to get better, reach those higher marks and push the limits.”
Last season, Runarsdottir also took first place in the Hammer Throw at conference before placing ninth at regionals then seventh at nationals.
That experience has pushed the sophomore into another level where Runarsdottir will enter nationals with the best throw in the entire nation.
“Having done it all before, it is not as new,” Runarsdottir said. “Going into this season, I knew how I wanted it to go and what I needed to do in order to get it done. It was just knowing what needed to happen instead of just doing it for the first time.”
With a shot of making a podium appearance, Runarsdottir’s main focus is on herself.
“I don’t try to think about competition and trying to get first place,” Runarsdottir said. “When I do that, I mess up and it does not go well for me. The main thing for me is to just focus on my technique and what I’m doing in competition.”
Joining Runarsdottir is Roberts, a native of Australia, who has exploded onto the Hammer Throwing scene.
Becoming just the second freshman in Bobcat history to make it to nationals in the Hammer Throw behind Runarsdottir, it has been a dream season for Roberts.
“I was definitely hoping so, but I wasn’t expecting it,” Roberts said. “It all comes down to a day at Regionals and what happens. I have gone beyond my expectations on what this season is going to hold for me distance wise.”
Roberts set a personal record in her first track meet with a throw of 214 feet, seven inches taking second place at the UTSA Invitational. Roberts then placed fourth at the Texas Relays before taking second place at the Sun Belt Conference Meet.
“It is really great to come in this strong and to get to nationals as a freshman,” Runarsdottir said. “It’s more than making it to nationals. It means you did not lose your nerve at regionals as a lot of people do. You have been putting in the work.”
Heading into Regionals, Roberts needed one big throw to send her to the national meet. It ended with the freshman throwing a personal best.
“Last season my personal best was 60 meters, then my first meet of the season I threw 65 meters so it was a massive personal best to start with,” Roberts said. “Then it has been so consistent this season hitting 65s and 64s. Then at the conference meet it was the same. At Regionals, I was just looking to get the job done then it went 67, which I was very happy with.”
For Runarsdottir, seeing the freshman’s hard work and dedication to the sport was exciting – particularly when it started to pay off.
“Lara got a huge [personal best],” Runarsdottir said. “It is so fun to see everything click for her and get that big throw out of her that I knew she had for the last month or two.”
Roberts enters the national meet with the 10th place best throw.
With Runarsdottir pushing her, Roberts is confident in making a splash at nationals.
“We get along very well and we have a really good friendship,” Roberts said. “It is so great that we can support each other. We both want the other to do really well, and we push each other to succeed.”
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Elisabet Runarsdottir qualified for her second NCAA National Outdoor Meet. The sophomore from Iceland currently holds the No. 1 throwing mark in the Hammer Throw in the nation. Photo submitted by TXST Athletics
Lara Roberts became just the second freshman ever to qualify for the NCAA National Outdoor Meet in the Hammer Throw. Photo submitted by TXST Athletics
