Ohio State freshman Andre Jeff crosses the finish line in 4×400-meter relay to seal the 2018 men’s track and field Big Ten championship in Geneva, Ohio on Feb. 24. Credit: Ethan Clewell | Lantern reporter
Ohio State’s freshmen had a big weekend at one of the most competitive meets of the season, the Tennessee Relays, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
On the men’s side, freshman Eric Harrison and freshman Andre Jeff had impressive days individually and contributed to some of the top performing relay teams.
The women’s 4×800-meter-relay team finished second with freshmen Aziza Ayoub and Mary Figler providing a bulk of the support for the unit.
The meet involved many professional athletes, including world record holders such as Christian Coleman and Kendra Harrison. Four-time Olympic athlete Justin Gatlin also competed at the meet.
Men’s recap
Ohio State’s sprint medley team, consisting of freshman Tavonte Mott, junior Kyle McKinney, freshman Paul Bete and Jeff, finished first with a time of 3:27.
Harrison, junior Nick Gray, senior Duan Asemota and senior Zack Bazile brought Ohio State’s 4×100-meter relay team to a second-place finish with a time of 39.31 seconds. The Buckeyes fell to America’s ProForm team, a professional group that carried Coleman and Gatlin.
Harrison set a personal best, finishing second in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.70 seconds.
Jeff finished second in the 400-meter run with a time of 46.92 seconds.
Senior Cole Gorski finished third in pole vault with a jump of 5.30 meters.
Bazile finished third in long jump with a jump of 7.79 meters.
Asemota, senior Jerry Jackson, junior DeJuan Seward and freshman Joseph Cooper led Ohio State’s 4×200-meter relay team to a third-place finish with a time of 1:25.30.
Senior Nick Demaline finished third in the shot put with his last throw of 19.62 meters.
Women’s Recap
Junior Sarah Kanney won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:54.
Ohio State’s 4×800-meter relay team made up of freshman Aziza Ayoub, freshman Mary Figler, senior Olivia Smith and sophomore Annie Ubing finished second with a time of 9:02.
Junior Sarah Stanley finished second in javelin throw with a 42.23-meter throw.
In the 400-meter dash, senior Maggie Berrie finished second with a time of 52.88 seconds.
In the 100-meter hurdles, senior Chantel Ray placed fifth with a personal best time of 13.11 seconds. Ray was among fast company in that competition. Kendra Harrison, who won the race, owns the 100-meter hurdles world record.
Ohio State will host its only outdoor meet, the Jesse Owens Track Classic, at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, all day both Friday and Saturday.
