Lemonious career best earns NCAA bronze in 110m hurdles
EUGENE, Oregon – Arkansas hurdler Phillip Lemonious produced a career best time of 13.39 seconds to earn a bronze medal in the 110m hurdles at the NCAA Championships on Friday at Hayward Field.
Lemonious moves to No. 2 on the UA all-time list, behind fellow Jamaican Omar McLeod, who set the school record of 12.97 in 2015. Lemonious was the first Razorback to reach the NCAA final in the 110m hurdles since McLeod won the title in 2015.
“I tried my best,” said Lemonious, the top freshman finisher in the race. “I came out here with a positive mindset. I knew what I was capable of doing here. I’m just a freshman, so I’m looking forward to becoming better.
“I’ve shocked myself with the times I’ve been running this season since I’ve been battling an Achilles injury for the past three seasons. I’m surprised I reached this far, and I’m grateful.”
Arkansas totaled 12 points in the meet from the bronze medal performances by Markus Ballengee in the decathlon and Lemonious in the hurdles, placing in a tie for 28th with Virginia. LSU won the men’s team title with 84 points while Oregon finished runner-up at 53 and North Carolina A&T placed third with 35.
“Markus and Phillip did a great job this weekend,” said Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam. “To get top three in this meet is outstanding. They got us 12 valuable points. I’m very proud of both of them.”
Also competing on the men’s final day for Arkansas were LaQuan Nairn in the triple jump and Amon Kemboi in the 5,000m. Nairn finished in a tie for 17th with a mark of 51-7w (15.72) while Kemboi ran a time of 13:46.44 in placing 21st.