The Ohio men's and women's track and field teams return to Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium today for the first time since the NCAA Regional Championships last May.
This weekend, however, does not mark the Regional meet -that will be held May 28 in Baton Rouge, La. - but rather the All-Ohio Championships, which provide the best competition to date for both teams.
Ohio has a mass of talented schools
coach Clay Calkins said. It's amazing on competition.
That competition might be enough to push a number of Ohio athletes to qualifying times and marks for this year's Regional meet. After three meets of the outdoor season, no Bobcat has qualified.
This weekend I'm hoping to qualify in at least one event hurdler/jumper Foli James said. I expect to qualify in at least one event. That's my standard; that's my goal for the weekend.
Two Ohio athletes who will not have the chance to qualify this weekend, though, are men's team captains Pat Harvey and Ron Hill.
Harvey, a mid-distance runner majoring in pre-med, will take the eight-hour MCATs Saturday. Hill, a sprinter and integrated social studies major, will complete his PRAXIS test to receive certification to teach in Ohio.
Though both athletes are disappointed to miss a meet of this magnitude, academics play a bigger role than athletics, they said.
All-Ohio is a big meet but a weekend off in the middle of the season
even if it is for an eight-hour exam
is great
Harvey said. Missing one meet is something pretty small compared to medical school.
While Harvey said there was more pressure involved with competing in a meet, Hill took the opposite stance, saying he would be more nervous for this weekend's exam than if he were sprinting.
You have to take care of business before pleasure
Hill said. I'm upset about (missing the meet)
but there's nothing I can do about it. We're here to learn.
For many, that learning will not begin again until Monday's classes, but for the track and field teams, it will continue throughout the weekend in Columbus.
The All-Ohio Championships begin at 3 p.m. today and continue at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium and French Field House.
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