UA’s Brown doubles up at Tyson meet

FAYETTEVILLE — The Tyson Invitational provided the sprinters on the University of Arkansas’ track and field team the opportunity to shine inside the Randal Tyson Track Center. Razorbacks coaches Lance Harter and Chris Bucknam split their teams this weekend, with many of their distance runners going to Seattle for the Husky Classic while the remainder stayed home. “As far as sprints, this was a meet of champs and a clash of the titans,” said Harter, Arkansas’ women’s coach. “It brought on some good head-to-head competition.” Sophomore sprinter Janeek Brown shined brightest for the Razorbacks. Brown, who won the 60-meter hurdles Friday night, became a double winner as she ran the open 200 in 23.37 seconds, a time that currently ranks 17th among NCAA sprinters. The Razorbacks also picked up a second-place finish from the 1,600 relay team of Sydney Hammit, Morgan Burks-Magee, Payton Stumbaugh Chadwick and Kethlin Campbell, whose time of 3:31.35 was right behind Southern Cal at 3:30.43. Chadwick ran a 52.82 on her leg, but the former Springdale Har-Ber standout didn’t fare as well in the 200 invitational, finishing fifth at 23.15. “Janeek Brown may have had a big breakthrough with her performance in the hurdles, then in the 200,” Harter said. “Payton just had an off day, but she’s a defending national champion and she’ll take care of business.” Former Shiloh Christian standout Rylee Robinson cleared 13 feet, 6.5 inches to finish second in the open pole vault. Desiree Freier cleared 13-10.5 to finish fifth in the invitational pole vault, which was missing twin sisters Tori Hoggard and Lexi Jacobus as they dealt with soreness and elected to sit out with the SEC Indoor Championships just two weeks away. On the men’s side, Arkansas may have saved its best for last as the Razorbacks’ 1,600 relay team of Jalen Brown, Hunter Woodhall, Travean Caldwell and James Milholen won its heat and finished sixth overall with a time of 3:07.17. Josh Rogers had a season-best in the shot put as his throw of 55-10.25 was good for seventh in a field that included Georgia’s Denzel Comenentia, the reigning NCAA national outdoor champion who won the event at 67-11.75. The Razorbacks will have their final tuneup before the SEC Indoor Championships when they host the Arkansas Qualifier meet Friday.