Razorback Invitational Results
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The season-opening meet for the South Alabama Jaguars track and field teams ended with competition on Saturday at the Razorback Invitational. The Randal Tyson Center will also host the NCAA Indoor Championships beginning March 9, where two Jags, Ajoke Odumosu (400m) and Vincent Rono (3000m) have attained provisional times to attend.
"It was a good meet for us," head coach Lee Evans said, "I'm glad we were able to get into this meet and run on the track where a good number of our athletes will hopefully be competing in March. This being just our first meet of the year, we have some things to work on, but the team is made up of hard workers, so we'll be ready."
Rono notched his second victory of the weekend, running an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 8:01.68 in the Championship section of the 3000m. The senior won the 5000m going away Friday night and cruised just as easily to Saturday's win after taking over the lead after the 1600m mark, running 4:20 for the mile.
Odumosu, reigning Sun Belt Conference champions at the quarter-mile, took third in the first heat of the women's final. The Lady Jag indoor and outdoor record-holder at 400m was clocked in 54.14, a time which, like Rono, provisional qualifies her for the NCAA indoor finale in March. Odumosu ended up third overall, behind Nina Gilbert of Louisiana Tech (53.29) and Tominque Boatright (53.98) of the Lady Razorbacks. Clarisse Moh, the junior from Paris, France, was ninth overall in 55.95.
Jaguar newcomer Oluwabenga Awoleye won his heat of the 400m with a time of 48.37 to finish sixth overall, the fourth fastest collegiate time of the meet. Former LeFore HS (Mobile, Ala.) standout, Timothy Johnson also won his heat, making his collegiate debut in the indoor 400m with a time of 50.32.
Ahmed Awesu ran a blistering 6.79 to win his preliminary heat and advance to the finals of the 60m. Gary Lambert II, the former Davidson HS (Mobile, Ala.) standout, crossed the line in the 19th position of the first round with a personal best 7.04, defeating his previous record of 7.19 set last year.
Awesu broke the school record he set last season of 6.76, posting a 6.75 to placed third among collegians J-Mee Samuels of Arkansas (6.73) and Ravyn Hayward of Northwestern State (6.74) and their NCAA provisional times. Awesu was fifth overall with professionals Trell Kimmons (Nike) and Baryan Blanton (Reebok) occupying the top slots in times of 6.60 and 6.63, respectively.
The 800m saw three Lady Jags post top-15 finishes. After her 400m performance, Moh captured third overall in the half-mile behind La Tech's Tenisha Mays (2:16.70) and Tulsa's Tayer Rigsby (2:18.55). The Frenchwoman's time of 2:19, bettered sophomore and reigning SBC champ Jessica Miller's 2:22.57 (eighth overall) and junior Cassandra Perkins' 2:24.26 (12th).
Christophe DuMee, a sixth-place finisher in the 110m hurdles at the African Championships this past summer, went a personal best 8.22 in the 60m hurdles, to place second in his preliminary heat. The junior was ninth in the first round, just out of top-8 advancement position.
The Championship Mile section saw SBC mile runner-up Harry Larubi run 4:10.46 to finish seventh overall. Micah Tirop, second to Rono in Friday's 5000m finished eighth with a time of 4:14.18.
The men's 4x400m relay, featuring Johnson, Rono, Awoleye, and newcomer Anthony Benn ran 3:18.18 to finishing 12th overall.
Lady Jags made their marks in the field during the pole vault competition. Senior Erin Kinnear was the finisher for South Alabama, clearing the bar at 3.67m (12' 00") and sixth place overall.
The Jags travel to the University of Florida for next Saturday's Gator Invitational.
