Three Claim Titles at Razorback

Jan. 26, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- For the second time in 2008, the University of Oklahoma returned from Fayetteville, Ark., with three titles. Shardae Boutte, Sheldon Leith and Mitch Henry all picked up individual titles for OU in the second day of action at the Razorback Invitational, Saturday, at Arkansas' Randal Tyson Complex.

Boutte became the first Sooner of the season to automatically qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championships with a best jump of 52 feet and 11.5 inches (16.14 meters) to claim the triple jump title. Boutte's jump marks the nation's longest of the season.

OU went 1-2 in the triple jump with Tydree Lewis finishing second with a best jump of 52-1.25 (15.88), toppping the NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

For Leith, Saturday's win in the 60-meter hurdles marked the second time of the young season to win the event at the Tyson Complex after winning a title in the Arkansas Invitational on Jan. 11. Leith ran a season-high 7.91, equaling the NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

Mitch Henry recorded the second-highest men's heptathlon score at OU and a personal best with a total of 5,329 points, besting the NCAA provisional qualifying mark. After recording personal bests in three of the first four events on Friday (60-meter dash, shot put, high jump), Henry entered Saturday in a battle with Aaron Harlan of Stephen F. Austin for the top spot.

In the sixth event, the pole vault, Henry recorded another personal best of 15 feet and three inches (4.65 meters) to claim his second individual title after picking up a win in the long jump on Friday. Going into the seventh and final event, the 1,000-meter run, Henry trailed Harlan by 90 points, but was the first to cross the line with a time of 2:51.90 to claim the event and the heptathlon title.

Both the men's and women's 800-meter runs featured Sooners in the top three. Kristi Cook finished second (2:09.20) in the women's division and Tony Clement recorded a personal record 1:50.55 en route to finishing third in the men's. The time marked the fifth fastest time in Oklahoma indoor history in just Clement's second race for OU.

In the women's 60-meter hurdles, Latoya Greaves recorded a NCAA provisional qualifying mark with 8.39, good for fourth.

Leslie Cole finished fourth in the women's 400-meter dash with an indoor personal best 54.69. Cole's was a member of the event's fastest heat as the four women that comprised the group all finished in the top eight.

Oklahoma's next action will come in Norman as it hosts the eighth annual J.D. Martin Invitational, Feb. 1-2, in the Mosier Indoor Facility. Action kicks off Friday at 1 p.m. with the women's pentathlon followed by the beginning of the men's heptathlon at 2 p.m.

Saturday's events begin at 9:30 a.m. with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon. Field events begin at 11 a.m. while running events start at 12:30 p.m. Admission is free to the public.

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