May 5, 2012

 

Thomas Takes to Track at Twilight

Relays shine and Crockett hits a PR at 5-10.5 in a high jump win.

 

EUGENE, Ore. – Football phenom De’Anthony Thomas made his debut on the track and both of Oregon’s 4x100 meter relay teams were victorious Saturday night before a meet-record crowd of 7,012 at the Oregon Twilight.

 

The womenÂ’s 4x100 meter relay team of Claudia Francis, English Gardner, Lauryn Newson and Chizoba Okodogbe ran 44.51, which was the sixth-fastest time in school history.

 

Immediately after, Thomas anchored the menÂ’s 4x100 relay team to victory in 40.79. Fellow footballer Dior Mathis led off, followed by Arthur Delaney and Joeal Hotchkins. Thomas was also second in the 200 meters in 21.60 and third in the 100 in 10.65.

 

Not to be outdone, freshman Lauren Crockett cleared a personal-best 5-10.5/1.79m to win the womenÂ’s high jump. The Ogden, Utah, native recorded the No. 7 clearance in school history Friday night.

 

In one of the more impressive performances of the meet, Bridget Franek of Oregon Track Club Elite broke the meet record in the 3,000 meters steeplechase, running a world-leading 3:39.77. The former Penn State star destroyed the previous meet mark by :14.

 

The Twilight also saw a personal best womenÂ’s 800 meters from junior Becca Friday. Geena Gall of OTC Elite won the race in 2:05.31, with NikeÂ’s Lauren Johnson second in 2:05.42. Friday was third in 2:05.61, which was the 10th-best time in school history.

 

Former Duck and current OTC Elite runner Andrew Wheating thrilled the largest Hayward Field crowd of the season with his first win of 2012. He kicked to the finish of the 1,500 meters in 3:44.97, just ahead of NikeÂ’s Dorian Ulrey (3:45.30). In that race, OregonÂ’s Colby Alexander had a personal-best of 3:46.44 in a fourth-place finish.

 

Sophomore Laura Bobek took the shot put in a personal-best 47-8/14.53. That moved the Astoria, Ore., native into the UO all-time top 10 at No. 10. She also had a season-best in the discus at 160-9/48.99m. In the menÂ’s shot put, senior Randall Horn had a big PR to finish second. The Los Gatos, Calif., native threw 51-8/15.76m, a seven-inch personal best. Horn was also third in the discus at 157-8.

 

Other winners for the Ducks included Mike Berry in the menÂ’s 200 in 21.24, senior Becca Rhodes in the womenÂ’s 100 hurdles (14.08) and senior Camilla Dencer in the womenÂ’s 400 meters (57.33).

 

In the menÂ’s 110 meter hurdles, Ashton Eaton got to the tape just ahead of Duck freshman Johnathan Cabral. The decathlete hit the line in 13.57, with Cabral clocking 13.64. Senior Eric Hersey took third in that race in a seasonal best 14.26.

 

Also for Oregon, in the menÂ’s hammer sophomore Tanner Harris netted a personal best at 192-1/58.56m.

 

Junior Katie Conlon, a transfer from Jamestown College, was the runner-up in the womenÂ’s 3,000 meters in 9:42.24. OTC EliteÂ’s Julia Lucas won in 9:14.44. Sophomore Tim Costin from Springfield, Ore., ran a personal-best in the menÂ’s 3,000 meter steeplechase of 9:00.29 to finish seventh.

 

In other action, former Duck and current UO volunteer assistant Mandy White won both the womenÂ’s 100 and 200 meters. She took the 100 in 11.68 and the 200 in 24.00. UOÂ’s Devin Gosberry was second in the 200 in a personal-best 24.65.

 

OTC EliteÂ’s Tyler Mulder won the 800 meters in 1:46.44, while former Duck Justin Frick captured the menÂ’s high jump at 7-3/2.21m.

 

In the Greek 4x100 Meter Relays, Pi Beta Phi successfully defended their sorority title in 56.79, while Delta Tau Delta came up the surprise winner in the fraternity crown in 46.79.

 

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