FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

High jump, 4x200m titles at Drake Relays

 

            DES MOINES, Iowa – On its second day of competition at the 103^rd Annual Drake Relays, the No. 14 University of Arkansas men’s track and field team collected two event titles. The Razorbacks picked up wins from the 4x200-meter relay team and Brede Ellingsen in the high jump. In addition to its two titles, Arkansas qualified its 4x400-meter relay for Saturday’s final.

            Running in section two of the 4x200 relay timed final, the Razorbacks’ team of Neil Braddy, Marek Niit, Ben Skidmore and Akheem Gauntlett posted a time of 1:22.27 to capture the team’s first Drake Relays title of the weekend. On the anchor leg, Gauntlett held off a hard charge from defending champion Baylor and Georgia to secure the victory. Arkansas’ win snapped a five-year hold on the 4x200-meter relay by Baylor.

            “The conditions were a little cold but we had a good warm-up so that wasn’t a problem,” Gauntlett said. “I just had to push it out there. I got out good and knew I’d have to hold on because I knew he was coming up on me but I just pushed through and held on at the end.”

            Arkansas’ second Drake Relays title of the day came from Ellingsen in the high jump. In a competition interrupted by a weather delay, the Razorback junior posted a winning and season-best clearance of 2.18m/7-1.75. The clearance was the second-best effort of his collegiate career and highest clearance since the 2010 season. Teammates Noah Kittelson and Dwayne Golbek finished tied for seventh place. Kittelson was a three-time Drake Relays champion during his prep career in Iowa.

            In the final collegiate race of the day, the Razorbacks finished second in the 4x800-meter relay. Arkansas’ quartet of Drew Butler, Leoman Momoh, Duncan Phillips and Patrick Rono combined for a time of 7:25.20, finishing only behind defending Drake Relays champion Minnesota.

            The Razorbacks capped the afternoon session with a qualifying effort in the 4x400-meter relay. Arkansas’ team of Caleb Cross, Ben Skidmore, Kyle Dunn and Neil Braddy posted a time of 3:08.96 to win heat three and earn the automatic bid into the event final. The group’s performance was the third fastest of the round. As the weekend finale, the event final of the 4x400-meter relay is scheduled for Saturday at 5:55 p.m.

            Arkansas opened the day with a runner-up finish in the 4x1,600-meter relay. The long-distance team of Scott Gillespie, Rick Elliott, Thomas Cattin-Masson and Anthony Lieghio combined for a time of 16:49.50. Lieghio returned to the track for the Razorbacks’ last event of the day, the 4x800-meter relay.

            Cross was the team’s top performer in the preliminary round of the 110-meter hurdles, but finished just one spot out of moving on to Saturday’s final. He was second in his heat and ninth overall with a time of 14.35. Cross was one of three Razorbacks in the event along with Dunn and Andrew Pennington who finished in 19^th and 23^rd place, respectively. Dunn and Pennington are scheduled to compete in Saturday’s 400-meter hurdles timed final.

The 2012 Drake Relays concludes Saturday with finals in the 4x400, sprint medley and distance medley relays. Preliminary and finals action are also scheduled for the shuttle-hurdle relay. Day four’s schedule will also feature Arkansas competition in the 1,500 meters, 400-meter hurdles, 3,000-meter steeplechase and discus.

            Meet coverage during the weekend is set to include live results and an interactive blog, which continues Saturday at 10 a.m. (CT). A video stream of will be available for Drake Relays via subscription through the Bulldogs’ website. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

 

Friday Results

 

110m Hurdles (prelims)

9. Caleb Cross – 14.35

19. Kyle Dunn – 14.54

23. Andrew Pennington – 15.09

 

4x200m

1. Braddy/Niit/Skidmore/Gauntlett – 1:22.27

 

4x400m (prelims)

3. Cross/Skidmore/Dunn/Braddy – 3:08.96q

 

4x800m

2. Butler/Momoh/Phillips/Rono – 7:25.20

 

4x1,600m

2. Gillespie/Elliott/Cattin-Masson/Lieghio – 16:49.50

 

High Jump

1. Brede Ellingsen – 2.18m/7-1.75

7. Noah Kittelson – 2.05m/6-8.75 

7. Dwayne Golbek – 2.05m/6-8.75

 

Pole Vault

6. Andrew Irwin – 5.15m/16-10.75

 

Long Jump

14. Nii Ayi – 6.93m/22-9

 

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