The Ohio indoor track and field team left Akron this weekend with a slew of top-10 finishes in the un-scored Akron Open.
Among them was one first-place finish from sprinter Dan Bailey, who won the 400-meter dash. Sprinter John Willis came in eighth in the same race.
Bailey and Willis also ran together as parts of the 4x400 relay team that took fifth. Jumper Tyler Edwards and mid-distance runner Steve Weber ran with them in the relay. Edwards later competed in the long jump and tied for sixth place. Distance runner Jason Linton also finished fourth place in the one-mile run.
On the field Ohio men were racking up more top-10 finishes. Jumper Jeremy Keesee and Chad Lutz took fifth and seventh in the high jump, respectively. Thrower Shane Gibson took fifth in the shot put. Jumper Josh Bilyeu and sprinter Steve Main took seventh and ninth, respectively, in the triple jump.
Hurdler Jericka Duncan led the women's team with four top-10 finishes. She took ninth in both the 200 and 400 dash and fifth in the 60 hurdles and ran a leg on the 4x400 relay team that took fifth place. Hurdler Jessica Kestler and sprinters Aileen Taylor and Maria Whitely were also part of the relay team.
Mid-distance runner Lindsey Ward ran for 10th place in the 800 run. On the field, jumper Melissa Gressick was part of a four-way tie for ninth in the high jump. Pole vaulter Rachael Diehl took 10th in the pole vault and sprinter/jumper Tamara Fennell took eighth in long jump.
Throwers Ruth Sharp and Jaclyn Lugaila took seventh and sixth, respectively, in their own events, shot put and weight throw.
The team is now gearing up for its second trip to Akron for the All-Ohio Championships. The event will take place Saturday in Akron's Athletics Field House.
17 Archives
Michelle Mu-oz
