Razorbacks tune up at Twilight
FAYETTEVILLE — Hammer thrower Erich Sullins broke his own record for the Razorbacks and javelin thrower Karl Springer broke his personal record Friday night as both rank 10th in the Southeastern Conference with hopes of earning points in seventh or eighth place in the team totals.
“Absolutely every point counts,” said Arkansas men’s track and field coach Chris Bucknam. “As you know, we lost the SEC Indoor to Alabama by three points. So, we can go back with our team and show everybody how important a point can be.”
Arkansas hosted the Twilight Invitational Friday at John McDonnell Field. The meet helped as a tune-up for this weekend’s SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Knoxville, Tenn.
“These guys are on the upswing,” said Arkansas men’s field events coach Travis Geopfert. “They’re coming on. All six of Erich’s throws were over 200 feet. He adds three feet to his best and he could score. And Springer’s made our school top 10 list, and our javelin list is pretty good.
Bucknam and men’s sprints coach Doug Case counted on hurdler Shakiel Chattoo to prove himself fit on Friday. The transfer from Azusa Pacific showed potential in the indoors, but then missed the season with an injury.
Chattoo was then injured during the outdoor season after opening with a time of 13.7 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles at the Texas Relays. He hit a hurdle and pulled up during the Twilight meet on Friday.
“You look at him and he looks like he can run 13-flat,” Bucknam said. “But it’s a big adjustment transferring from Division II and the injuries and everybody handles it different. We’ll just try and be patient and get him through it. He just has to work through it because he can be a superstar.”
Chattoo did not appear injured and physically should be up to to trying again at the SEC Outdoor.
“He smacked it pretty hard and I think it surprised him and he just shut it down,” Case said. “I don’t think he’s injured. He’s been looking great in practice and he was leading by two meters. I think he’s OK.”
Most of Bucknam’s men and the defending SEC Outdoor champion women’s team accomplished so much at last week’s Arkansas-hosted National Relays that they were held out of Friday night’s meet.
All-SEC women’s sprinter Jada Baylark tuned up Friday winning the women’s 100-meter dash in 11.40. Men’s sprinter Obi Igbokwe clocked a
20.73 200-meter dash running second to Wallace Spearmon Jr., the former U.S Olympian and former Razorback clocking 20.67 competing unattached.
The Payton Jordan Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif., on Thursday featured mostly world class professionals. Arkansas senior Jack Bruce ran a personal-best time of
13:28.57 in the men’s 5,000 meters, good for only 14th in the race but third in NCAA Division 1 this season and best in the SEC for the 2018 outdoor season.
“That wasn’t a fool around race last night,” Bucknam said. “The competition was outstanding and it looked like there were over 25 entries. I’m just happy Jack Bruce stuck his nose in there and ran very smart. He opened up (this season) with a 3:39 1,500 meters (April 20 at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif.) and now he’s run a 13:28 5K, the seventh fastest time in program history. His performance was well worth the trip. Now, it’s on to the conference meet.”
For Harter’s women at the Payton Jordan, Carina Viljoen improved her NCAA Regional qualifying 1,500-meter run clocking a personal best 4:16.