Arkansas adds 3 more entries, plus 4 x 400 relay to Eugene

FAYETTEVILLE – The Razorback 4 x 400 relay advanced to the NCAA Championship field on time from a 3:03.95 season best performance while three other individuals advanced to Eugene during Friday’s action in front of 1,529 fans at John McDonnell Field.

Amon Kemboi qualified in the 5,000m after advancing in the 10,000m on Wednesday. In the 110m hurdles the duo of Tre’Bien Gilbert and Matthew Lewis-Banks moved on to Eugene as well.

With a pair of decathletes – Ayden Owens-Delerme and Daniel Spejcher – already qualified for the NCAA Championships, the Razorbacks will have a total of eight entries among nine athletes in five events in Eugene.

NCAA Championship field | Qualified Razorbacks | 5 events | 8 entries | 9 athletes

“I feel like we can score some points in Eugene,” said Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam. “Obviously, we wish we had a bigger group going, because we felt like the 4 x 100 relay could have made it in along with Roman Turner in the 100m.

“We’ve got the group we have. We will rest and recover, and compete hard.”

Gilbert led the 110m hurdle field with a 13.41 that equaled his career best, which is equal third best on the UA all-time list. Teammate Matthew Lewis-Banks will join Gilbert in Eugene as he advanced on time with a 13.74, just off his career best of 13.72 set in the NCAA first round.

“It was an outstanding performance,” stated Bucknam. “He knows that he is carrying the hurdlers now, both he and Matthew. Tre’Bien knows he’s the lead guy now. When you match your career best in a meet like this, that’s pretty good. I’m really proud of him and his focus.

“Matthew has really come on in the last three weeks and we’ve seen it in practice as well.”

Owens-Delerme ran the opening leg of the 4 x 400 relay, splitting 45.9, and was followed by Brandon Battle (45.8), Jeremy Farr (46.66), and James Milholen (45.63). They finished fourth in the second of three heats and placed seventh overall following disqualifications for BYU and UCLA from the first section.

After qualifying in the 10,000m on Wednesday, Kemboi added a qualification in the 5,000m as well. Kemboi finished third in his heat with a 13:38.92 that was 11^th best overall. Kemboi secured on the top five automatic places with a 56.53 last 400m after clocking 1:02.34 on the penultimate lap.

“He was so patient on the last lap,” Bucknam noted. “There were a lot of guys right in it, and he was confident in his own ability. You could see his savviness and experience. He made a move at the right time and it opened up for him. He’s light on his feet right now, and that’s even coming off the 10k.”

Two other Razorbacks in the event – Emmanuel Cheboson (14:09.65) and Patrick Kiprop (14:25.27) – finished 35^th and 40^th, respectively.

In the 100m, Roman Turner equaled Texas A&M’s Devon Achane for the final time qualifier at 10.18 in 12^th place overall. They ran in separate sections, and both were fifth in their respective heats. The time to the 1000^th of a second was also equal at 10.177.

The next tie-breaker protocol in the rule book factors in the qualifying time to enter the NCAA West Preliminary rounds. Achane held the advantage there with a 10.12w to Turner’s 10.31w.

Turner moved to No. 5 on the Arkansas all-time list with his 10.18.

In the 800m, Leroy Russell III ran 1:48.14 to finish sixth in his prelim and 17^th overall. Connor Washington posted a time of 20.83 to place seventh in his heat of the 200m and placed 19^th overall.

Christian Matamoros cleared a pair of bars in the high jump, reaching a height of 6-8.75 (2.05) to place 33^rd overall.

Arkansas was one of three schools who did not finish the 4 x 100 relay. The exchange from Washington to Owens-Delerme was never completed on the second to third leg. Roman Turner led off the relay while Phillip Lemonious was scheduled to run the anchor leg.

Breaking out to an early lead in his heat of the 3,000m steeplechase, Andrew Kibet faded in the latter stages of the race, clocking 9:10.70 to place 14^th in his section and 41^st overall. Kibet claimed the SEC title with a career best of 8:42.87.