It may not be the biggest attraction on Tobacco Road this weekend, but the Ohio track and field team is still looking for a win.
Following a fourth-place finish at the Southern Cup in Oxford to open their outdoor slate, coach Clay Calkins' team has had a full week of practice to gear up for what he calls the most important meet yet.
This is a big meet for us
Calkins said. The competition level goes way up. Some of the best athletes in the country are keyed in on this week.
The Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C. marks the first time in the young outdoor season that Calkins will have the full complement of athletes at his disposal. His hands were tied last weekend at Miami with a number of his runners still out of town for spring break.
Despite the sparse squad, Ohio's athletes turned in top-three finishes in the shot put, hammer throw, discus and 4x100 meter relay.
Calkins said that Bahiyjaui Allen, the champion of the shot put competition last week, could be even more dangerous in the outdoor season because of the ability to train regularly.
We don't ever want to say we're at a disadvantage (without an indoor facility) Calkins said. It's a bad vibe to give to our kids. But (Allen) has been great all year and being outside now
it's a big advantage.
This weekend's meet is the second of three tune-ups before the All-Ohio Outdoor Championships in Cincinnati. At last year's outdoor All-Ohio, the Bobcat women finished in fifth place, and Calkins wants his team to improve on that mark.
We want a good finish
definitely
Calkins said. We want good individual performances. Hopefully
we can get into some hot races and get our times down.
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Rob Mixer
