Despite threatening weather, Ohio State performed well against competition from across the nation at the 25th Jesse Owens Track Classic on Friday and Saturday.
More than 20 events were held under overcast skies, on a puddle-covered track and through breezy conditions. But the Buckeyes overcame these obstacles.
“It was a little windy, but the track was just fine,” said freshman Jordan Boepke, who ran in the 400-meter hurdles. “During the race you don’t think about it.”
Latoya Sanderson, who ran the third leg of the Buckeyes’ second-place women’s 4×400 relay, echoed Boepke’s attitude.
She said she didn’t mind the water, but she was running into the wind down the home stretch.
With participants from as far as the University of Alabama and Mississippi State University, the Buckeyes faced different competition than usual.
“You see where you’re at going in to the Big Ten [Championships],” Sanderson said.
In the 100-meter hurdles, sophomore All-American Christina Manning (13.10 seconds) and Letecia Wright (13.15) took home the top two spots for the Buckeyes.
Manning, Wright, Sanderson and sophomore Shaniqua McGinnis also won the 4×100 relay with a time of 45.53.
OSU sophomore Thomas Murdaugh ran a Big Ten-best time of 45.96 in the 400, but came in third at the meet.
Mississippi State freshman Tavaris Tate ran 45.26 to win, the third-best time in Division I.
Mississippi State also set the Jesse Owens Stadium record in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:05.70. OSU finished second with a season-best time of 3:06.69.
OSU graduate Jesse Owens earned eight NCAA Championships in 1935 and 1936.
In 1935 at the Western Conference Championships, Owens set world records in the broad jump, the 220-yard dash and the 220-yard low hurdles. He also tied the world record in the 100-yard dash, according to the Jesse Owens Track Classic program.
At the 1936 Olympics in Germany, Owens won gold medals in the 100-meter, 200-meter, broad jump, and the 4×100 relay.
