Lang advances in 3 events, No. 1 Hogs earn 13 entries for Eugene
FAYETTEVILLE – During the men’s second day of the NCAA West hosted by Arkansas at John McDonnell Field, the Razorbacks added eight entries in six events bringing their total advancing to Eugene for the NCAA Championships to 13 entries by 12 athletes in nine events.
The Arkansas tally includes two decathletes – Jack Turner and Yariel Soto Torrado – who already qualified for Eugene.
Versatile sprinter Lance Lang advanced in a pair of individual events along with the 4 x 400m relay. Lang produced a pair of wind-aided times in the 100m and 200m as he ran 9.97 (2.5 wind) and 19.99 (2.1 wind).
Lang finished third in his 100m heat behind a pair of Houston sprinters – Louie Hinchliffe (9.84w) and Shaun Maswanganyi (9.89w) – while winning his 200m heat.
Among wind-aided marks in Arkansas history, Lang ranks third in the 100m behind Jarrion Lawson (9.90w|2.7) in 2015and Kenzo Cotton (9.96w|4.0) in 2017. In the 200m, Lang ranks behind Wallace Spearmon’s wind-legal 19.91 and 19.97 collegiate season marks from 2005.
In the 4 x 400m relay, Lang gave the Razorbacks a convincing lead with a 44.8 split on the second leg and Arkansas won the section in 3:01.83. TJ Tomlyanovich led off the relay in 45.9, Steven McElroy supplied a splendid 44.53 on the third leg and James Benson II finished off the effort with a 46.62 after coasting the final 20m.
Beckford, the defending NCAA Outdoor champion, started the day off by advancing to Eugene with a clearance of 7-2.5 (2.20). He cleared five heights, starting at 6-8.25 (2.04), on first attempts.
Kason O’Riley just missed a trip to Eugene in placing 13th with a clearance of 7-1.5 (2.17). Needed a third attempt at 7-0.25 (2.14) was the difference for O’Riley as six jumpers clearing 7-1.5 advanced to the NCAA Championships.
In the open 400m, Benson qualified on time with a 45.41 to place fourth in his heat to earn his first berth in the 400m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Tomlyanovich placed third in his heat with a 45.85 to earn automatic advancement.
Phillip Lemonious ran 13.43w (2.4) for third in his heat of the 110m hurdles while Elijah Morris claimed the final time qualifier for Eugene with a 13.52 (1.8 wind) that keeps him at No. 6 on the UA all-time list.
Two other Razorbacks in the 200m include Tavijon Williams (20.51w) and Connor Washington (20.53). Riley Wells clocked 1:48.56 for sixth in his heat of the 800m. Ben Shearer finished 10th in the second heat of the 5,000m with a time of 14:18.40.
Qualifying to Eugene | NCAA Championships
13 Entries, 12 Athletes, 9 Events
100 | Lance Lang
200 | Lance Lang
400 | TJ Tomlyanovich, James Benson II
110H | Phillip Lemonious, Elijah Morris
10,000m | Patrick Kiprop, Kirami Yego
4 x 400 | Arkansas [TJ Tomlyanvich, Lance Lang, Steven McElroy, James Benson II]
High Jump | Romaine Beckford
Long Jump | Wayne Pinnock
Decathlon | Jack Turner, Yariel Soto Torrado