Tide Sprinters Have a Great Meet in El Paso
4/16/2006 12:00:00 AM
Led by the sprinters and hurdlers, the Alabama men’s track and field team had a successful day at the UTEP Invitational on Saturday in El Paso Texas.
“We had an outstanding day,” Alabama head coach Harvey Glance said. “UTEP was ranked No. 5 in the country coming and I felt we competed very well against them across the board.”
Chauncey Harris took second place in the 100m dash with a season best 10.27 seconds, the eighth fastest time in school history. Harris added a personal best 20.68 in the 200m dash, the eighth fastest time in school history.
Michael Cooley had a great day for the Tide as well. Michael Cooley took first place in the 400m dash with a season best 46.85 and finished fourth in the 200m with a regional qualifying time and a personal best of 21.04.
The Tide’s 4x100m relay squad took second place with a season best 40.02 to improve their Mideast regional qualifying mark.
Marcus Siwemuke and Byron Gibson finished 1-2 in the 110 meter hurdles. Siwemuke had the tenth fastest time in school history (14.11 seconds) to win the race. Gibson’s time of 14.16 was his second fastest this season. Ron Riley and Josh Butler added tenth and 11th place finishes, respectively, in the event.
The Tide’s throwers had good finishes in their events as well. Grant Stone won his second straight javelin contest with a throw on 196’7”. Stone won the javelin throw at Ole Miss last Saturday.
In the hammer throw, Jason Dixon finished second with a throw of 170 feet and Stephen Boozer took third place with a mark of 162-01.
Boozer and Dixon also finished fourth and fifth in the discus. Boozer’s throw of 175-01 and Dixon’s mark of 170-9 both were NCAA Regional qualifying throws.
“Our throwers did a great job showing consistency,” Glance said. “Grant Stone in the javelin and both Boozer and Dixon in the discus.”
On Thursday night at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., Augustus Maiyo finished fourth in the 3,000m steeplechase with the fourth fastest time in school history, 8:43.77.
“Maiyo did another great job,” Glance said. “His steeplechase was a personal best and once of the top times in the country. He did an outstanding job.”
Alabama will take next weekend off before returning to action April 27-29 to compete in the Drake Relays.
