Sooners to Three Locations as Competition Heats Up
NORMAN, Okla. — The fourth weekend of the 2010 outdoor track and field season will feature Oklahoma athletes competing at three different locations Saturday, stretching from Arizona to Arkansas with a meet in Texas in between. Oklahoma’s sprinters and jumpers will be in Tempe, Ariz., for the Sun Angel Track Classic while distance athletes head east to Fayetteville, Ark., for the John McDonnell Invitational. The throw’s group rounds out OU’s weekend competition at the North Texas Spring Classic in Denton, Texas.
The Sun Angel Track Classic will feature two Sooners ranked No. 1 in the nation in Ronnie Ash (110-meter hurdles) and Will Claye (triple jump). While Ash ran the third-fastest time in the world this year at last weekend’s Texas Relays, this weekend will mark Claye’s first outdoor meet of the 2010 season after competing in just the Big 12 Championships during the indoor season while recovering from minor injuries. Both Ash and Claye look to defend 2009 titles in their respective events. Ash remains undefeated on the year in the 110 hurdles.
The women’s group in the event is led by Latoya Greaves (100-meter hurdles) and Scottesha Miller (100-meter dash), who own the sixth and seventh-fastest times in their respective events. Eric Bailey holds the seventh-fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles.
In Arkansas, Oklahoma has one defending champion as Scott Cooper takes to the outdoor track for the first time in 2010 looking to win his second consecutive 800-meter run at the John McDonnell Invitational. Cooper is one of 10 Oklahoma men and four women set to compete in the event in either the 800, 1,500-meter run or 5,000-meter run. Seven OU men are slated to run in the men’s 1,500-meter run.
The third site of Oklahoma action, Denton, Texas, will have six OU athletes in action, all in the throws area. Three men and two women will compete in the discus while Justin Shirk takes to the javelin.
While the collegiate athletes are out of Norman, action at the John Jacobs Track and Field Complex is not dormant as OU hosts the John Jacobs High School Invitational on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.
Updated 04-09-2010
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