Distance battles await No. 1 Arkansas in Razorback Invitational
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 1 Arkansas hosts the Razorback Invitational this Friday and Saturday inside Randal Tyson Track Center, where the team scored meet includes a talented collection of schools with Colorado, No. 22 Georgia, Iowa State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Oregon, and No. 10 Southern California.
Live Stream
Friday (5:30 p.m. CT): SEC Network+ Friday
Saturday (12:30 p.m. CT): SEC Network+ Saturday
Live Results: Razorback Invitational results
Featured on Friday are the distance medley relay, long jump and the first day of the heptathlon. Saturday’s menu includes a very talented field in the 3,000m as well as the usual array of national caliber athletes across various events.
“Everybody brings something a little different each weekend,” said Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam. “When you look at the schools that come in this week, they bring a different flavor. The flavor this week is maybe not so quite the ballistic events as it is maybe the distances. Again, though, there will be some good sprinting and jumping going on.”
After setting career best times over the past two weeks with victories in the 1,000m (2:23.49) and mile (3:58.26), Amon Kemboi moves up to the 3,000m this weekend. Razorbacks scheduled to join Kemboi in the split-section race include Gilbert Boit, Jacob McLeod, Ryan Murphy, Myles Richter, and Matt Young.
The 3,000m field also features Wesley Kiptoo of Iowa State, the Ole Miss combo of Waleed Suliman and Mario Garcia Romo, along with an Oregon contingent led by Cooper Teare.
“This meet Oregon has a really good men’s team, so they are going to want to get some qualifying marks in,” noted Bucknam. “The 3k will be a little bit stronger and we also run a distance medley relay that will be fast as it includes Ole Miss and Iowa State.
“We will anchor Amon Kemboi on the distance medley relay on Friday night. Hopefully we can keep it close and get him in the mix with the milers from Oregon and Ole Miss. Then we will bring him back on Saturday and run the 3k.”
Last year in this meet, Oregon cruised to victory in the distance medley relay with a collegiate record of 9:24.52 as Teare anchored the Ducks effort with a 3:55.45 split.
“We would like to get the distance medley qualified and also in the 3,000 where we have a lot of our distance runners entered,” said Bucknam. “We are looking for qualifying marks not only for the NCAA meet, but also the SEC Championships, where marks need to be among a top 24 descending order list.”
The long jump showcases young talent with Razorback freshman John Baker and Georgia sophomore Matthew Boling. Both attended high schools in Texas, with Baker producing a best of 26-2.75w in a shortened season during 2020 while Boling reached a distance of 26-3.5 for the 2019 State title.
So far this season, Baker has generated a 25-6.25, sixth best in the nation, with Boling’s best at 24-6.25, which ranks 21st.
Boling will also race in the 200m, a week after clocking a collegiate leading 45.51 in the 400m. Racing in the final section of the 200m with Boling is Razorback Jalen Brown along with the USC tandem of Eric Allen, Jr., and Brendon Stewart.
In the heptathlon, the Razorbacks enter the trio of Markus Ballengee, Etamar Bhastekar and Daniel Spejcher. In winning last year’s SEC Indoor team title, Arkansas picked up 20 points in the heptathlon which included these three along with Tyler Brendel, who has outdoor eligibility remaining.
Following a school record winning performance in the weight throw last week, Arkansas freshman Ruben Banks faces another solid field of throwers.
Currently sixth among collegians this indoor season, Banks set the Razorback school record with a toss of 71-4.25 to break the previous mark of 69-6. His mark ranks 10th among freshman throwers dating back to 1990 and only five freshmen over the past 12 years have registered a better mark than Banks.
Phillip Lemonious, the NJCAA champion in the 60m hurdles, is scheduled to make his debut as a Razorback and will be joined by teammates Carl Elliott, III, Tre’Bien Gilbert and Shaka Bogan.
