James Benson II returns to racing with 400m career best

EUGENE – Racing for the first time since the early in the outdoor season, Razorback James Benson II simply posted a career best of 45.56, which moves him to No. 6 on the UA all-time list, during the first day of the USATF Championships at Hayward Field.

Benson II finishesd as runner-up to LSU alum Vernon Norwood (45.34) and they had the third and sixth fastest times overall.

Alum Marqueze Washington joined Benson in the 400m semifinal, placing third in the second heat with a 46.11. The top time overall was 44.72 by Michael Norman, who won the first heat.

Alum Frankline Tonui, racing in the second of two heats, posted a time of 8:29.85 to snare a qualification to the 14-person final as the last qualifier on time, earning the spot by 0.05 of a second over Minnesota’s Alec Basten (8:25.90).

USATF U20 action for the men starts on Friday with Connor Washington (100m) and Brandon Battle (400m) representing the Razorbacks.

Finals held on Friday in the USATF Championships include the long jump with John Baker and shot put with Arkansas volunteer assistant Ryan Crouser.

USATF Schedule (PT) | June 23-26 | Live results: https://results.usatf.org/2022Outdoors/

Friday | June 24

12:34 p.m.       M 100 U20                  First Round     Connor Washington

2:47 p.m.         M 400 U20                  First Round     Brandon Battle

4:43 p.m.         M 100 U20                  FINAL               (Connor Washington)

5:45 p.m.         M Long Jump              FINAL               John Baker

6:42 p.m.         M Shot Put                  FINAL               Ryan Crouser

8:25 p.m.         M 400                          Semi-Final       James Benson, Marqueze Washington

Saturday | June 25

Noon               M Pole Vault               FINAL               Andrew Irwin

12:35 p.m.       M 110H                       First Round     Tre’Bien Gilbert, Matthew Lewis-Banks, Daniel Spejcher

2:04 p.m.         M Steeple                    FINAL               Frankline Tonui

2:31 p.m.         M 400                          FINAL               (James Benson, Marqueze Washington)

3:05 p.m.         M 200 U20                  First Round     Connor Washington

4:25 p.m.         M 400 U20                  FINAL               (Brandon Battle)

5:37 p.m.         M 200 U20                  FINAL               (Connor Washington)

Sunday | June 26

12:25 p.m.       M High Jump               FINAL               Darryl Sullivan, Jr.

1:04 p.m.         M 110H                       Semi-Final       (Gilbert, Lewis-Banks, Spejcher)

1:48 p.m.         M 800                          FINAL               (Kieran Taylor)

2:54 p.m.         M 110H                       FINAL               (Gilbert, Lewis-Banks, Spejcher)