Fans greeted to impressive marks at John McDonnell Invitational
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Competing in front of home fans for the first time this season, the Razorbacks had solid performances for the 867 in attendance on the first day of the John McDonnell Invitational.
Nick Hilson supplied a victory in the 400m hurdles, posting a season best time of 50.75 seconds as Cody Johnson of Kansas finished second in 51.46. Hilson sports a career best of 49.92 from 2019 that ranks fourth on the UA all-time list.
The leader through the first day of the decathlon is Daniel Spejcher with a career best score of 4,028 points. Teammate Markus Ballengee is currently in second place at 3,919 while Tyler Brendel is in fifth place with 3,671 points.
Spejcher bettered the field of 11 in the long jump (23-4w) and shot put (47-7 ¼), while having the third best marks in the 100 (10.87w), high jump (6-2 ¼), and 400m (49.60). Ballengee had the second best marks in the shot put (47-5) and high jump (6-3 ½) with fourth best efforts in the long jump (22-7 ¾w), and 400m (49.95).
The decathlon continues at 11 a.m. on Sunday while noon is the start time for running and field events.
The final race of the evening had Amon Kemboi finishing second in the Invitational 5,000m with a time of 13:35.22, which is No. 11 on the UA all-time list and bettered his previous outdoor best of 13:37.48 from 2018.
Tulsa’s Patrick Dever won in 13:28.08 while breaking the meet record of 13:53.30 set by Arkansas’ Shawn Forrest in 2008 as well as the facility record of 13:37.95 set by Texas Tech’s Kennedy Kithuka in 2014.
Other Razorbacks in the race included Gilbert Boit (13:53.42) and Matt Young (13:54.27 PR) placing fifth and seventh.
Etamar Bhastekar was the top collegian and second overall in the pole vault with a clearance of 17-1 ½ (5.22). Teammates Rhett Nelson (16-7 ½) and Braedon Maddox (16-0 ¾ PR) finished third and fifth.
Razorback freshman Ruben Banks improved his career best in the hammer throw by three feet with a toss of 219-4 (66.85) to place fourth. He is now within three-plus feet of the Arkansas school record of 222-7 (67.84) set by Erich Sullins in 2019.
Sullins, who recently set a career best of 236-6 (72.10) to qualify for the Olympic Trials, broke the meet record with a winning toss of 235-10 (71.89). The previous record of 234-2 (69.75) was set in 2014 by Oklahoma State’s Nick Miller.
Ryan Crouser, an Arkansas volunteer assistant, set a world leading mark of 71-11 ½ (21.93) for the outdoor season to win at the Drake Relays on Saturday. Arkansas alum Stanley Kebenei finished seventh in the 3,000m steeplechase at Oregon in 8:30.57.
