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McFarlane Records Fastest Time in Prelims, Blackwood Eighth in 400 Final
August 23, 2004 | Track and Field
NORMAN, Okla. Former OU sprinter Danny McFarlane had the best day of the former Sooners today at the Games of the 28th Olympiad, posting the fastest qualifying time in the first round of the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.
McFarlane ran a 48.35 to win his heat and have the best qualifying time by .16 seconds in the first round. He advances to the semifinal in the event Tuesday at 9:05 p.m. Athens time. The final is scheduled for Wednesday night.
His prelim today is a career best by .30 seconds.
McFarlane won the 400-meter intermediate hurdle titles at the 2003 and the 2004 Jamaican National Senior Championship. McFarlane was a member of the Jamaican Olympic team in 2000. He finished eighth in the 400-meter dash and earned a bronze medal as a member of the 1600-meter relay team. He made the switch from the sprint events to the hurdles over the last two years. McFarlane was an eight-time All-American while competing for the Sooners. He finished his OU career in 1997.
Blackwood had the fourth best time in the semifinals on Saturday but slipped to a 45.55 in the final Monday night to finish eighth in the 400-meter dash. Blackwood will run on the 1600-meter relay for Jamaica in the first round on Friday night. The final in that event is set for Saturday at 10:25 p.m. He earned a bronze medal in 2000 as a member of Jamaica's 1600-meter relay. He ended his two-year OU career in 2000 after winning the Big 12 title in the outdoor 400 with his school record time of 44.69.
For another former Sooner, Laverne Jones, history repeated as she advanced from the first round of the 200 Monday afternoon to Monday night's quarterfinals. She missed advancing to the Tuesday's semifinal in the 200, though, by .01 seconds. Jones, the OU school record holder in the outdoor 200, ran a 23.20 in the first round Monday to finish third in her heat and advance to the quarterfinals. She recorded a 23.08 while finishing fourth in her heat in the quarterfinals. The final at-large time to advance to the semifinal was a 23.07.
Today's action closes her Olympic competition. Jones became the first woman from the Sooner track and field program to qualify for the Olympic Games. She carried the flag for the Virgin Islands during the opening ceremonies on August 13.
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