Wiltshire Takes Third in Long Jump

May 30, 2008

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Five University of Oklahoma track and field athletes and one relay advanced to Saturday finals in seven events while Adrian Wiltshire took third in the long jump Friday at the NCAA Midwest Regional at Ed Weir Stadium on the campus of the University of Nebraska. The top five finishers in each individual event final and top three relays in each final automatically advance to the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 30-31, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Wiltshire grabbed bronze in the finals of the men's long jump with a season-best jump of 25 feet and 2.5 inches (7.68 meters) and qualified for the NCAA Championships in his first year on the Division I level. Wiltshire's previous season best entering the weekend was 24-3.50 (7.40), set on April 19 at the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

Wiltshire's new best at OU places the Jamaican nicknamed `Strydex' for his long strides in a tie with Frankie Wright (2007) for seventh all-time in Oklahoma program history. Wiltshire's third-place distance came in his first jump while the junior recorded three jumps over the previous season best of 7.40.

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The women's 4x100-meter relay opened the day with the fourth-fastest qualifying time in the event. Leslie Cole, Jalesa Walker, Missy Barnes and Scottesha Miller combined for a time of 44.35, the second-fastest time this season and the fourth in Oklahoma program history.

Despite qualifying for Saturday's finals, the event was a major disappointment for the Sooners as the anchor leg, Miller, started to lose speed around the 70-meter mark of the final leg. While she finished the relay, a pulled hamstring ended Miller's day after two attempts in the long jump. The sophomore was still scheduled to compete in the 100- and 200-meter dash.

The sophomore from Florida entered the meet ranked in the top seven of all three individual events in the Big 12 Conference and posted an "A" qualifying standard in the 200 for the U.S. Olympic Trials at the Big 12 Championships.

Cole returned to the track in the 400-meter dash, clocking the fastest time of the event's prelims with a time of 52.65. The junior has run a season-best time of 51.94, second fastest in Oklahoma program history.

Marcus Pugh took first in the second heat of the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.47 to advance into Saturday's final with the seventh-fastest time. Pugh's heat ran into the stiffest headwind of all four heats.

Pugh will pull double duty on Saturday after running the fastest qualifying time of his heat in the 200, 20.89. Pugh will run against familiar faces as five of the eight qualifiers in the event are from the Big 12 Conference.

Latoya Greaves and Latoya Heath both finished first in their respective heats in the women's 100-meter hurdles. Greaves time of 13.41 was the second-fastest overall behind Texas A&M's Jennifer Williams' 13.39. Heath's time of 13.46 was third fastest.

Sheldon Leith ran a season-best time of 13.85 in the men's 110-meter hurdles to advance to Saturday's finals. Leith's time was the fastest in his heat and third overall. Texas Tech's Shawon Harris ran the prelims' fastest time of 13.70.

Toni Smith finished eighth in the women's long jump with a mark of 20-3.75 inches (6.19). UTEP's Blessing Okagbare took first with a jump of 21-5.25 (6.53).

Senior Mitch Henry recorded a personal best in the javelin but failed to advance to the event's finals, finishing 11th. Henry's throw of 204-7 (62.35) is the second best in Oklahoma history behind program record holder Cale Drumright's throw of 228-6 (68.64) in 2006.

Saturday's action at the NCAA Midwest Region begins at 1 p.m. CST with the men's hammer throw and women's high jump, javelin and triple jump, all four featuring OU athletes. Running events begin at 4 p.m. with the women's 4x100-meter relay.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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