UCI’s Jock top 800 qualifier

EUGENE, Ore. — UC Irvine’s Charles Jock won his semifinal heat in the 800 meters at the USA Track & Field Championships on Friday.

The 2011 first-team All-American posted a time of 1 minute, 45.80 seconds in the close race at Hayward Field. Tyler Mulder of Oregon TC Elite finished second in 1:45.82, Casmir Loxsom of Penn State third in 1:45.85 and Nicholas Symmonds of Oregon TC Elite fourth in 1:45.87. They all move on to the final Sunday.

Jock, who recently completed his junior season at UCI, had splits of 24.78 at 200 meters, 51.34 at 400 and 1:18.93 at 600 in posting the fastest time of the 16 runners who competed Friday.

The four qualifiers from the second heat were Khadevis Robinson of Nike (1:48.78), Mark Wieczorek (unattached) in 1:49.22, Robby Andrews from Virginia (1:49.25) and Samuel Borchers of Penn State (1:49.41).

Sunday’s 800-meter final is scheduled to be televised live on NBC at 2:27 p.m. The top three finishers in Sunday’s race will represent the USA at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Aug. 27-Sept. 4.

— From staff reports