Allgood, Renton Take Second in Austin

Friday, April 1

Austin, Texas

9:30 AM

University of Oklahoma

Texas Relays

April 01, 2016 | Track and Field

By: Akilah Laster

AUSTIN - Inclement weather pushed back most of Friday's action at the 89th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays until the early afternoon. Despite staggered start times, the Oklahoma track and field teams produced competitive performances in several events.

Action, originally slated for a 9:35 a.m. start, was postponed around 9:20 a.m. and resumed an hour later. Events were then halted for a second time near 11:30 a.m. for nearly two hours and followed a rolling schedule the rest of the day.

OU throwers Tyler Renton and Avione Allgood walked away as runners-up in the men's and women's javelin A division, respectively. Renton (235-5.00) faced defending SEC champion and NCAA fifth-place finisher, Ioannis Kyriaz. His winning throw of 268-7.00 is the best in the nation and came on the Aggies' first attempt.

Allgood, who completed one attempt before the two-hour delay, posted a 171-11.00, but was edged out by the Aggies Maggie Malone (173-10.00), who ranks third on the collegiate all-time list. The pair also met in competition at the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., two weeks ago where Malone broke the meet record with a career best 198-0.00 and the Sooner again finished second (182-8.00).

Tyler Renton had his best showing at the Texas Relays Friday, recording a 235-5.00.

"It was tough for the women's javelin to go out and get a throw in and then have to come back and re-warm up after the delay," said head coach Jim VanHootegem. "It was good that Avione moved herself up in the final and got second.

"For Tyler, he has a little bit of history in regards to struggling to perform well at the University of Texas," he continued. "For him to come out and have a good performance at the Texas Relays really is another example of how he's at a new level."

Garrett Snow also competed for the men in the javelin and recorded a 216-0.00 to finish 10th.

The women's 4x100-meter relay advanced to Saturday's final while the men's distance medley relay concluded the day running a 10:08.78.

OU's 4x1 foursome, Bianca Brazil, Ama Pipi, Daye Shon Roberson and Leya Buchanan, recorded a 45.27 to qualify for Saturday's final as the eighth best time. The group's season best is a 44.62, recorded in the season opener.

Buchanan (11.77) also qualified for the 100-meter final after running a top-seven time on Friday.

"We take pride in our women's 4x1 and 4x4, so to be competing on the final day of the Texas Relays is what we want to do," VanHootegem said. "That's how we want it to be at the NCAA Championships as well, so this is a strong showing for us.

"I'm particularly proud of Leya (Buchanan)," the head coach said. "She's continuing to grow as an athlete. For her to run a strong anchor leg on the 4x1 and come back and get herself in the finals for the 100 really shows she's starting to mature."

Leya Buchanan endured rain delays and nealry back-to-back competitions to advance in both the 4x100 relay and the 100 meter dash.

The DMR quartet of Allen Eke, Liam Meirow, Blake Yount and Jacob Goldberg began their race, originally scheduled for 7:30 p.m., after 10 p.m. They were the final Sooner entry of the day.

Sooner sprinters Pipi (12.17), Trae Armstrong (10.47), Bennie Wesley (10.88) and Tyrone Glenn (10.98) also competed in the 100, but did not advance to the finals. Armstrong just missed the final by .01 seconds.

Chase Sammons and Carl Williams participated in the discus and high jump, respectively. Sammons recorded a 169-10.00, while Williams' best was 6-7.00.

The Sooners resume action Saturday, the final day of the event, with Jenny Carmichael in the discus at 10 a.m. OU opens running events in the men's 4x800-meter relay that directly follows the women's competition in the same event slated for a 10:40 a.m. start.