Track and Field Hosts Jesse Owens Classic – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
May 3, 2002
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State track and field teams will host the 17th annual Jesse Owens Track Classic Sunday.The event will be held at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium with preliminary running events and throwing events beginning at 9 a.m. An opening ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. followed by the finals of running events. Teams throughout the country will travel to Columbus to compete and to pay tribute to Ohio State track and field legend Jesse Owens.
A LOOK AT THE COMPETITION
Universities, as well as sponsered track clubs and individuals will be competing in the event. The field of 49 teams includes: Adidas, Arkon, Alabama, Appalachian State, Ashland, Atoms Track Club, Ball State, Bowling Green, Butler, Central Michigan, Central State, Cjw Sports, Eastern Michigan, Findlay, Firebird Track Club, Florida International, Geneisi Track Organization, Georgia Tech, Indiana of Pennsylvania, Kent State Kg1/Bam Track Club, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Michigan State, New World Track Club, New York AC, Nike Denmark, North Carolina State, Ohio Northern, Ohio State, Ohio University, Oregon, Otterbein, Penn State, Shore Athletics, Sprint Capitol USA, Tiffin, Toledo, Toronto, Tulane, Univeristy of Chicago Track Club, UNLV, Charleston, Western Carolina, Windsor and Windsor Legion Track Club.
Competition at the event will feature some of the nation’s brightest talents including Alabama’s All-American Ron Bramlett, the defending national champion in the 110m hurdles. The event will also feature Michigan’s Alan Webb, who gained national attention for becoming the first high school runner to break 4 minutes in the mile since Jim Ryan.
LAST TIME OUT
The Buckeyes sent two squads out to compete this past weekend in split sessions at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Penn. and the Baldwin-Wallace College Invitational.
PENN RELAYS
Several Buckeyes competed in the Penn Relays April 24-27. The Ohio State men’s team was well represented in the throwing events Sopohomore Dan Taylor finished fourth in shot put, first in discus and seventh in hammer throw. Andrew Saurer placed first in the hammer throw with a toss of 58.81 meters.
The Buckeyes also sent two distance runners to the 2002 Penn Relays in JJ O’Reilley and Derrick Butler. Butler finished eighth in the 10,000 meter run with a time of 29:57.43 while O’Rielley finished seventh in a time of 9:16.03.
For the women’s squad, Tami Smith continued her ongoing campaign toward the NCAA track and field championships with a leap of 1.71 meters and a second place finish. Katy Craig also performed well for the Buckeyes competing in the hammer throw for a ninth place finish with a toss of 50.82 meters.
BALDWIN-WALLACE
Ohio State also sent athletes to compete in the Baldwin Wallace Invitational April 27th. Billy Mills won the high jump with a winning height of 6-10 while Kevin Mannon who won the hammer throw with his toss of 216’7 ft.
The Ohio State woman’s track and field team recieved strong performances from Onica Fraser, winning the 400 meter dash with a time of 54.3 seconds. Ohio State continued their success on the track with another first place finish from Brandi Hogan in the 110 meter hurdles. Teammate Alexis McCall won the shot put with a distance of 52-8 ft while Krista Keir won the discus with her effort of 171-5.
KEIR, SMITH QUALIFY FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Krista Keir earned an automatic bid to the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships with her toss of 182-4 (55.57 meters) in the discus at the All-Ohio Championships. A week later, Tami Smith recieved her bid at the Texas Christian Invitational with a leap of 6-0 (1.83 meters) in the high jump. Keir has claimed first place four times in the outdoor season in the discus event. Smith has been unbeated in every meet except one, when she finished second at the Penn Relays.
TAYLOR EARNS BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS
Sophomore Dan Taylor earned Big Ten Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week April 10 after his performance at the Wheeling Jesuit Invitational, Ohio State’s first outdoor track meet of the season. Taylor broke a 20-year old school record with his toss of 180-2 (54.92m) in the discus. The previous record of 178-2 was set back in 1982 by Kevin Akins. In the shot put, Taylor earned a NCAA provisional qualification with a distance throw of 61-1 L (18.62m). He also placed third in the hammer throw with a toss of 182-7 (55.65m).
OWENS LEADS ALL-CENTURY TEAM
Track legend Jesse Owens was named the Ohio State male athlete of the century by the Columbus Touchdown Club. Owens’ legend at Ohio State blossomed, thanks to such feats as setting three world records – in the long jump, 220-yard dash and 220-yard hurdles – within a 70-minute span at the 1935 Big Ten Track Championships. He became a household name at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, where he won four gold medals. Stephanie Hightower was named women’s track and field athlete of the century. She was a three-time (1978-80) All-American in the hurdles.
MEET COACH RUSS ROGERS
In his 14 years at Ohio State, Russ Rogers has produced more than 100 Big Ten indoor and outdoor track and field champions, 10 NCAA indoor and outdoor champions and 69 All-Americans. Rogers has more than 30 years of head coaching experience in national and international track and field. Rogers came to Ohio State from Fairleigh Dickinson University where he served as the head coach for men’s and women’s track and field as well as the cross country teams for 10 years.
UP NEXT
The Buckeyes will travel to Bloomington, Ind.. to compete in the Bill Hayes Invitational May 11.
