Dan Bailey will be busy this weekend. He's just a freshman, but the sprinter for the Ohio men's track team will run in more events than any other Bobcat at the Mid-American Conference Championships today and Saturday.
Both the men's and women's track teams won't stray far from their core of long-proven veterans, but Bailey is among a few young standouts who will be thrown into the mix as well.
Penciled in to run the 60-meter dash, the 200, the 400 and the 1600 relay this weekend, Bailey said last week that he feels up to the challenge.
I take it as an honor
really he said. I've been blessed with the ability by God with the talent that I can do those multiple events. I know it's going to be a hard day and there's going to be a lot of hard competition
but I'm going to do what coach (Clay Calkins) wants me to do.
Women's freshman distance runner Andrea Maas will be shouldered with the two longest events at the meet, the 5,000 on Friday and the 3,000 on Saturday. She said she is focused, despite some first-time jitters.
I'm a little nervous about doubling
but I am pretty excited about my first MAC indoor meet
she said. I'm not really sure where I'm going to place
but I have more time goals than place goals. I want to run under 18 (minutes) for the 5K
definitely. So hopefully what place I get will fall in there when I run a certain time.
Calkins said he's not worried about throwing young runners into such a high-caliber meet.
They're used to competing at the highest level of high school competition
the state level
so I think they're ready to step it up. We'll see what they're made of
he said.
Naturally, the Bobcats will field some of their most experienced and successful athletes this weekend, as well.
Women's jumper/hurdler Foli James will compete in the 60-meter hurdles, the high jump and the long jump. Sprinter/hurdler Jericka Duncan will run the hurdles, the 200 and the 1600-relay. The two have run the fourth- and eighth-fastest times in the hurdles in the MAC this season, respectively, while James has recorded the second-best long jump.
On the men's side, reigning indoor MAC long-jump champion Scott Mayle will face his toughest competition of the season. He hasn't lost yet this season and has often won by a foot or more, but he will see at least two opponents this weekend capable of coming within seven inches of his best. Mayle will run in the 60 and the 200, as well.
Men's thrower Eric Bildstein said he is eager to compete this weekend after setting a new Ohio indoor record in the weight throw at the Scarlet and Gray Invitational at Ohio State last Saturday. He hurled the 35-pound weight 57 feet 10 1/2 inches and said he has more in him.
I get in the circle and instead of turning on my heels I'm turning on my toes
