Top Marks at John Jacobs

April 12, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. -- Competitors at the 39th annual John Jacobs Invitational combined for 50 NCAA Regional qualifying marks, including nine by Oklahoma athletes, three meet records and one top world mark. Many qualifying marks were negated due to high wind readings throughout the day.

April Steiner, competing unattached, recorded the top pole vault mark in the world so far this year, clearing a height of 15 feet and 5.25 inches (4.63 meters).

Aside from Steiner's accomplishments, three other John Jacobs Invitational meet records fell Saturday. OU alum Danny McFarlane, competing unattached, recorded a meet record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.26 while Merritt Dietz of Oklahoma State set a meet record in the women's discus with a throw of 178-10 (54.52). Mike Robertson, competing unattached, set a meet record in the men's discus with a throw of 212-2 (64.66).

OU's Latoya Greaves claimed the women's 100-meter hurdles title, running what would have been a John Jacobs Invitational meet record had the wind cooperated with the Jamaican sophomore. A wind reading of 4.3 meters-per-second negated the meet record and failed to let Greaves improve on her NCAA Regional qualifying time of 13.19 as only times with wind readings below 4.0 meters-per-second qualify.

Classmate Latoya Heath finished fifth recording an NCAA Regional qualifying time of 13.74 with a wind reading of 1.9 meters-per-second. It was one of two regional qualifying marks for Heath, who finished sixth in the women's long jump with a mark of 19-9.00 (6.02).

In the men's 110-meter hurdles, Sheldon Leith posted a regional qualifying mark in his first action of the year in the event, running a time of 14.08 en route to a second-place finish.

Leslie Cole posted an NCAA Regional qualifying time in the 400-meter dash. The highest-finishing collegiate athlete, Cole took second behind Jessica Cousins, competing unattached, with a time of 54.26.

Chip Heuser also recorded a regional qualifying mark with a second-place finish in the pole vault. Heuser cleared a height of 16-6.75 (5.05). Heuser was one of two OU men to record regional qualifying marks in field events as Paul Gill did so in the high jump (6-10.75/2.10) with a second-place finish in the event.

Marcus Pugh and Zach Dawson both posted regional qualifying marks in the men's 200-meter dash with times of 20.82 and 21.32, respectively, to finish second and seventh. Tijahnni Newton recorded a regional mark of 23.90 with a fourth-place finish in the women's event.

Dawson also took second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.37. Lukas Hulett of Nebraska finished first with a time of 46.78.

Mitch Henry finished second in the men's javelin with a throw of 187-2 (57.04). Austin Braman of Nebraska took first with a toss of 206-1 (62.82).

Oklahoma's Amanda Mayfield, competing unattached, took first in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:14.44.

Katherine Johnson recorded a jump of 5-7.00 (1.70) in the high jump en route to a third-place finish.

OU alum Michael Blackwood won the 800-meter run with a time of 1:50.11.

Oklahoma's next action comes next Saturday at the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

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