Ryan Crouser improves world lead for USATF shot put title
EUGENE – Competing in his home state often brings out the best in Ryan Crouser, a volunteer assistant with the Razorbacks, and he delivered once again on Friday with a winning mark of 75 feet, 10.25 inches (23.12) to better field by nearly 10 full inches.
Competing in the Jamaica Championships this weekend, Arkansas alum Kemar Mowatt finished second in the 400m hurdles with a time of 48.53 behind a 48.51 for Jaheel Hyde to earn a trip to Eugene for the World Championships.
In the USATF U20 Championships, Arkansas freshman Connor Washington claimed a bronze medal with a season best of 10.29 in the 100m. In the prelims, he posted a time of 10.33.
Washington was just 0.01 from the runner-up position of 10.28. The top two in each event advances to the World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, if they have met the world standard.
Competing in the 200m on Saturday, Washington will likely be considered for relay duty with Team USA from his third-place performance in the 100m.
Brandon Battle advanced to the final of the U20 400m, running 47.35 to finish third in the prelim heat.
Crouser produced one of the greatest series in history as he bettered 75 feet on four of his six attempts with marks of 75-6 (23.01), 75-10 (23.11), and 75-4.75 (22.98) on consecutive efforts after his winning mark in the third round.
Joe Kovacs finished as runner-up with a toss of 75-0.5 (22.87), a mark he hit twice in the first and second rounds.
Another career best effort was supplied by James Benson II in the 400m semifinal as he improved to 45.36, No. 6 on UA all-time list, while placing fifth in the second heat. The last time qualifier was 45.33 from the first heat as Benson finished ninth overall.
Arkansas alum Marqueze Washington ran 46.12 in the first heat, placing seventh and finishing 15th overall.
John Baker placed 13th in the US long jump with a windy leap of 25-3.25 (7.70). Leroy Russell III posted a time of 1:51.66 in the 800m in Canada, placing 17th overall. Jeremy Farr ran 47.24 in the 400m prelims in Jamaica, placing 23rd overall.
USATF Schedule (PT) | June 23-26 | Live results: https://results.usatf.org/2022Outdoors/
Saturday | June 25
| Noon | M Pole Vault | FINAL | Andrew Irwin |
| 12:15 p.m. | M Hammer | FINAL | Erich Sullins |
| 12:35 p.m. | M 110H | First Round | Tre’Bien Gilbert, Matthew Lewis-Banks, Daniel Spejcher |
| 2:04 p.m. | M Steeple | FINAL | Frankline Tonui |
| 3:05 p.m. | M 200 U20 | First Round | Connor Washington |
| 4:25 p.m. | M 400 U20 | FINAL | Brandon Battle |
| 5:37 p.m. | M 200 U20 | FINAL | (Connor Washington) |
Sunday | June 26
| 12:25 p.m. | M High Jump | FINAL | Darryl Sullivan, Jr. |
| 1:04 p.m. | M 110H | Semi-Final | (Gilbert, Lewis-Banks, Spejcher) |
| 2:54 p.m. | M 110H | FINAL | (Gilbert, Lewis-Banks, Spejcher) |