T&F Kicks off 2021 at Arkansas

January 15, 2021 | Track and Field

NORMAN - The Oklahoma track and field team returns to the track Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark., for their first meet of 2021.

The Arkansas Invitational is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. CT with the field events before the track events get going at 1 p.m. The meet is scheduled to conclude at approximately 6:45 p.m. A total of 44 Sooners are slated to compete in the 2021 opener.

Action can be seen via livestream through SEC Network+.

The Sooners compete in their second meet of the 2020-21 season on Saturday in Fayetteville following a strong season-opening performance at the Kansas State Winter Invitational on Dec. 5, 2020.

KSU INVITE REWIND

OU student-athletes collected a combined 11 victories in Manhattan, Kan., with six wins coming on the track and five in the field events.

The Sooner throws group was back to its winning ways. Senior Lauren Jones started the season strong, winning the women's weight throw with a PR mark of 67-3.5 (20.51m). Jones' throw at the opener stands as second in the OU indoor record books.

In the women's shot put, junior transfer Payden Montana started her Sooners career with a bang, throwing an indoor personal-best 53-5.75 (16.30m) to take the win.

Senior Cooper Campbell got his senior campaign started in a big way with a throw of 63-6.75 (19.37m) that brought home first out of collegiate completion and put him second in the indoor OU record books.

Senior Rayvon Allen jumped 24-1.50 (7.35m) in the men's long jump to take first while Jelaani Davis took the men's triple jump crown with a leap of 49-3.75 (15.03m).

The men's and women's 60-meter competition saw plenty of Sooners collect top-five spots. On the women's side, junior transfer Deborah Giffard took the victory with a time of 7.58, while senior Demarius Smith placed first out of collegiate competition in the men's race, crossing the line in 6.74 seconds.

It was an OU sweep of the 300-meter competition with Kennedy Blackmon taking the women's victory in 39.07 seconds and freshman Salim Epps winning the men's 300 in 34.50 seconds to claim his first win as a Sooner. Epps time tied the school record in the men's 300 meters event.

Derek King collected his first win of the season in the men's 1,000 meters, finishing in 2:35.26 and the Sooners capped the meet with a first-place spot in the men's 4x400-meter relay. Demarius Smith, Isaiah Levingston, Salim Epps and Rayvon Allen teamed up to run a 3:18.84.

2020 IN REVIEW

The Sooners return three student-athletes that qualified to the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Current sophomore Mikeisha Welcome, junior Kristo Simulask and senior Essence Thomas were set to compete at nationals prior to the cancellation of the meet due to COVID-19.

Throughout the 2019-20 indoor season, three Sooners downed three indoor school records. Mikeisha Welcome dropped the women's triple jump record at the first indoor meet of the season, leaping 43-9.75 (13.35m). Essence Thomas broke Welcome's record in the event later in the season, jumping 43-10.5 (13.37m) at the Tyson Invitational. Kristo Simulask set the new school record in the men's heptathlon, claiming 5,691 points at the Big 12 Indoor Championships.

At the 2020 Big 12 Indoor Championships, two Sooners walked away with individual conference titles. Senior Jackson Webb claimed the men's 60-meter dash event after clocking in at 6.69. Lavinja Jurgens earned the women's high jump title, clearing 5-11.5 (1.82m).

The Sooners claimed a combined 49 event titles throughout the course of seven meets.

ARKANSAS INVITATIONAL INFORMATION

Saturday, Jan. 16
Live Results: Flash Results
Live Stream: SEC Network+ (ESPN+ subscription required)
Venue: Randal Tyson Track Center; Fayetteville, Ark.
Field: Arkansas, Arkansas State, Central Arkansas, Harding, Oklahoma, UA-Pine Bluff and UA-Little Rock

UP NEXT
The Sooners head to conference territory in Lubbock, Texas, for the Red Raider Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 23.

CONNECT WITH THE SOONERS
For updates and more information on Oklahoma track and field, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Track) and like Oklahoma Sooners Track & Field and Cross Country on Facebook.

Arkansas Invitational Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 16
Time (CT)	Event - Sooners
11:30 a.m.	Women's Long Jump - Helena McLeod, Essence Thomas, Symone Washington, Mikeisha Welcome
	Women's High Jump - Madison Langley-Walker
12 p.m.	Women's Pole Vault - Abby Bilsbury, Gabby Carson, Colleen Clancy
1 p.m.	Women's 3,000 Meters - Carson Hockersmith
	Women's Shot Put - Crislyn Cole, Faith Ette, Payden Montana
1:30 p.m.	Men's 3,000 Meters - Jordan Gledhill, Ryan Teuscher
1:50 p.m.	Men's Long Jump - Rayvon Allen, Jelaani Davis, Garry Williams
2 p.m.	Women's 60-Meter Hurdles - Madison Langley-Walker, Allanah Lee
2:10 p.m.	Men's 60-Meter Hurdles - Isaiah Levingston, Kristo Simulask, Garry Williams
2:25 p.m.	Women's 400 Meters - Nia Sims
2:40 p.m.	Men's 400 Meters - Salim Epps, Zac Tucker
2:55 p.m.	Women's 600 Meters - Levi Gladd, Kamryn McCall, Hannah Turner
3 p.m.	Men's Weight Throw - Bayley Campbell
3:15 p.m.	Women's 60 Meters - Kennedy Blackmon, Destini Jeter
3:30 p.m.	Men's 60 Meters - Quoi Ellis, Isaiah Levingston, Alajuwan Robinson, Joseph Sheffield, Demarius Smith
3:45 p.m.	Men's Pole Vault - Tate McDonald, Kristo Simulask
3:50 p.m.	Men's 1,000 Meters - Johnelle Joe
4:05 p.m.	Women's Triple Jump - Allanah Lee, Essence Thomas, Symone Washington, Mikeisha Welcome
4:20 p.m.	Women's 200 Meters - Kennedy Blackmon, Nia Sims
4:30 p.m.	Men's High Jump - Chris Banks, Keith Drapeau, Vernon Turner
4:45 p.m.	Women's Weight Throw - Lauren Jones, Geraldine Udo
4:50 p.m.	Men's 200 Meters - Salim Epps, Alajuwan Robinson, Demarius Smith
5:20 p.m.	Women's 1 Mile - Jordyn Kaplan
5:40 p.m.	Men's 1 Mile - Derek King, Graham Santilli
5:45 p.m.	Men's Triple Jump - Kunle Akinlosotu, Rayvon Allen, Jelaani Davis
6 p.m.	Women's 4x400-Meter Relay - Levi Gladd, Madison Langley-Walker, Kamryn McCall, Hannah Turner
6:20 p.m.	Men's 4x400-Meter Relay - Johnelle Joe, Jordan Gledhill, Derek King, Graham Santilli