Ohio State Track and Field Opens Season as Host of Buckeye Invite – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Jan. 10, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s and women’s track and field teams opened the 2004 indoor season Saturday at the 2004 Buckeye Invitational in French Field House. The Buckeyes competed against men’s and women’s teams from Central State, Morehouse College and South Florida in a the non-team scoring event.
Ohio State senior Dan Taylor highlighted the day for the Buckeyes as he claimed first in the shot put with a throw of 66-feet-6.5-inches and in the weight throw with a toss of 76-feet-2.25-inches. The effort in the weight throw established an American collegiate record, breaking the standard formerly held by Kevin Mannon of Wyoming in 2001. Both of Taylor’s performances served as automatic NCAA championship qualifiers.
Taylor’s efforts proved to be two of the 21 first-place marks turned in by the Buckeyes Saturday as fellow throwers Amarachi Ukabam and Keturah Lofton each collected top marks in the shot put and weight throw, respectively. Lofton scored a winning-effort in the weight with a throw of 63-4.25, while also setting a personal record in the shot put with a 47-9.75.
Ukabam, the reigning female outdoor freshman of the year in the Big Ten, took first in the shot put with a 51-0.25 heave, while scoring third in the weight at 61-5.5. Fellow throwers Holly Carr and Shelaine Larson also posted career-bests in the weight and shot put, respectively. Lofton provisionally qualified for the NCAA indoor championships with her mark in the weight, while Ukabam scored provisionals in both events.
The Buckeyes also scored first-place marks in nearly all jump events as senior Billy Mills took first in the high jump with a leap of 6-11. Junior Shayla Moore swept the women’s long jump and triple jump events with an 18-3.25 in the long jump and a 41-5 in the triple jump. On the men’s side, senior Nosa Ehimwenman took first in the long jump with a 23-2.50.
Senior Seth MacCarter rounded out the field events with a top mark in the men’s pole vault at 15-5, which served as an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championships.
Senior hurdler Dalanda Jackson also turned in a solid performance as she placed first in the 55-meter-hurdles in a time of 8.01, despite stumbling at the finish line. Fellow senior Brandi Hogan finished the race just behind Jackson with an 8.10.
In the sprinting events, the men received first-place efforts from Greg Norman as he posted a time of 6.95 seconds to finish first in the 60-meter dash, while clocking a 22.75 in the 200-meters to take top honors. The Buckeyes also took first in the women’s 200 meters as freshman Jenna Harris clocked a winning 25.47. Harris also took second in the 60-meter dash.
Others who placed first in running events were juniors John Morris in the 600 meters and Pannsy Henry in the 800 meters, while freshman Jennifer Ogbuehi claimed top honors in the 400 meters.
The Ohio State success carried into the distance events as Buckeyes scored first place in four of six events as senior Jacob McCauley and sophomore Chelsea Poling took first in each of the mile runs, while senior Lyndsi Gay and junior Brian Olinger combined to sweep the 3,000-meter event.
For complete results please visit http://www.deltatiming.com/events/2004/buckeye/index.htm
The Buckeyes compete next Friday and Saturday in the Rod McCravy Invitational at the University of Kentucky.
