Productive outing for No. 8 Arkansas at LSU Invitational

BATON ROUGE – A productive day for No. 8 Arkansas had the Razorbacks delivering solid performances during the LSU Invitational with a victory in the 1,500m along with a trio of runner-up efforts and five third-place finishes.

Brian Masai won the 1,500m in a career best of 3:39.39 to defeat LSU’s Emedy Kiplimo (3:39.88) and Tulane’s Illia Kunin (3:40.25). Masai covered the final lap in 56.38 to move from third to first place.

Arkansas opened the day with a runner-up finish in the 4 x 100m relay with a season best time of 38.82 to place behind Auburn’s winning effort of 38.49. Georgia (38.88) and Florida (38.94) were third and fourth.

The Razorbacks produced the eighth best time in school history with a line-up of Connor Washington, Tevijon Williams, Jaden Smith, and Jordan Anthony.

Washington added the 100m and 200m to his workload for the day. He generated a wind-aided 10.14 in the 100m (2.7 wind) and 20.53 in the 200m (1.5 wind), placing fourth overall in both events.

Scottie Vines cleared 7-0.5 (2.15) as runner-up in the high jump as he matched the winning height for LSU’s Kuda Chadenga. Razorbacks Cooper Williams and Joshua Blakely tied for third place as each made 6-11 (2.11).

Davis Helmerich clocked an outdoor best of 1:47.88 as runner-up in the 800m to a 1:46.45 for Alabama’s Oussama El Bouchayby. Razorback Donovan Bitticks won the second section in 1:50.06 to place ninth overall. Also racing in the event for Arkansas were Elias Schreml (1:50.24) and Wyatt Green (1:51.49).

Jaden Smith finished third in the 400m with a 45.44 performance to place behind a 45.30 for Georgia’s Will Floyd and a 45.40 for Florida’s Justin Braun. Smith was just off his carerer best of 45.40.

Uroy Ryan produced a leap of 25-4 (7.72) for third in the long jump to finish behind a 25-8w (7.82) for Florida’s Malcolm Clemons and a 25-4.75 (7,74) for Georgia’s Jayden Kyes. Razorback Juriad Hughes, Jr. placed fifth with a mark of 24-7.75w (7,51).

Decathlete Marcus Weaver threw the javelin 213-5 (65.06) to place third after running 14.85 in the 110m hurdles earlier in meet.

With a line-up of Green, Jonah Vigil [1:35.27], T. Williams (48.39), and Kevin Bello (49.41) the Razorbacks placed fifth in the 4 x 400m relay with a 3:13.06.

Joel Burris (53.57) and Grant Williams (54.10), raced in separate sections of the 400m hurdles, placing seventh and eighth overall. Kevin Sacko placed eighth overall in the 110m hurdles with a 13.80 while Brevin Sims finished 10th in 13.98.

The first race of the meet produced a victory for Arkansas in the managers 4 x 100m relay. The Razorback foursome of Bobby Theplama, Connor McFadden, Chloe Mullenix, and Collin Anderson delivered a 50.07 victory over a pair of LSU squads that clocked 51.67 and 52.89 while Auburn (55.24) and Ole Miss (55.32) were fourth and fifth.