Completed Event: Track and Field at Battle on the Bayou on April 3, 2026 ,
Final
Track and Field
at Battle on the Bayou
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Saturday, May 15
Atlanta, Ga.
All Day
University of Oklahoma
vs
Georgia Tech Invitational (O)
Smith Qualifies for NCAA Regional in Triple Jump
May 15, 2004 | Track and Field
NORMAN, Okla. -- Senior Robert Smith has battled the weather throughout the spring, losing three regional qualifying marks in the triple jump to excessive wind and then having a competition cancelled because of stormy weather earlier this week. While he had recorded an NCAA Regional qualifying mark in the long jump, he was attempting to double in the triple jump.
Finally, Saturday, on the next to last day to qualify for regional competition, Smith got his mark on his final jump at the Ward Haylett Invitational.
The Atlanta, Ga., senior recorded a career-best jump of 49-8.50, a legal season best by more than 17 inches to finish fourth in the Georgia Tech Invitational Saturday afternoon. That mark was well over the regional qualifying standard. It also stands as the fifth best mark in school history.
Meanwhile, Sooners competing in Atlanta came up just short of adding their names to the list or improving their regional times in the 800. Freshman Salah Hussein recorded a season best with a 1:51.73 but missed the qualifying time in the 800 by one second. He finished 10th overall in the event. Jason Coleman finished with a 1:54.92.
Freshman Jessica Eldridge already has a regional qualifying mark in the 800 but did not improve that time today. She finished 12th overall with a 2:08.40.
The next action for the Sooners will be the NCAA Midwest Regional May 28-29 in College Station, Texas. The top five finishers in each event earn automatic spots in the NCAA Championship set for June 9-12. Additional at-large entries may be added following the conclusion of regional meets.
In late action Friday, four Sooners met NCAA Regional qualifying marks at the Georgia Tech Invitational. Three were first-time qualifiers in the event they competed in while Eldridge improved her season best time in the 1500 in the final weekend to qualify for regional action.
Eldridge came close to breaking the school record in the 1500, an event she had already qualified in, finishing fifth with a time of 4:18.30. It's the second best time in school history and a career best for the freshman by nearly nine seconds.
Catherine Odell, running in the first 3000-meter steeplechase of her career, qualified for regionals with a 10:54.79. She finished seventh overall with that time, also the second best mark in school history.
On the men's side, Salah Hussein, who just barely missed in the 1500 two weeks ago at the Big 12, got his regional qualifying mark with a time of 3:44.77. That lowered his career best by five seconds and is the second best mark in school history. He finished 10th overall while Jason Coleman finished with a career best mark of 3:51.77.
Blake Culp took another five seconds off his career best, finishing seventh in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a regional qualifying time of 9:06.97. That mark is the sixth best in school history and give the sophomore a first-ever trip to the NCAA Regional meet.
Saturday, June 13
Friday, June 12
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Wednesday, June 10
