Men's Track Set for Meyo Invitational
2/4/2010 12:00:00 AM
Feb. 4, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - After a week off from competition, the Alabama men's track and field team returns to action this weekend at the Meyo Invitational. The University of Notre Dame will be hosting the meet on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6, at the Loftus Center on the Notre Dame campus.
The Tide currently has two student-athletes who have met NCAA-qualifying marks this season. Ray Jadusingh holds the second-fastest 60m dash time in the nation with a time of 6.62. Jadusingh led the nation with that time up until Jan. 29 when Auburn's Marcus Rowland posted a time of 6.61.
Tyler Campbell is the other member of the team that has a provisional mark. His leap of 7-0 1/4 in the high jump led the SEC until last week as well when Mississippi's Brian Knight cleared 7-1 3/4.
Freshman Kirani James, making his 400m open debut this weekend, was named Sportsman of the Year in his home country of Grenada on Jan. 30.
In 2009 and in his under-20 debut, James defeated the defending 400m champion to win with a time of 45.45 at the 2009 CARIFTA Games. His time of 45.45 easily set a new championship record, beating world record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt's six-year-old mark of 46.35. James became the first youth athlete to complete a 200/400m double gold at the 2009 World Youth Championships. He also won the 400m race at the 2009 Pan American Junior Championships.
Among the SEC's best athletes sit eight Alabama athletes. The already mentioned Jadusingh and Campbell rank second in their respective events. Also ranking in the top-eight performers in the conference are Fabian Norgrove (400m, 8th), Julius Bor (800m, 8th), Austin Duckworth (5,000m, 4th), Joel Rop (mile, 6th), Mike Edwards (high jump, 7th) and Michael Hughes (heptathlon, 8th).
The Invitational is slated to begin Friday at 5:00 p.m. with the long jump while running events will start at 6:00 p.m. as the 5,000m run. On Saturday, the meet will commence at 9:00 a.m. for the 3,000m run.
