The Texas Relays are back after a year off -- like every other meet in the U.S. This year's meet will look very different -- no HS division, several of the "carnival" style events are missing (the sprint medley relay, the distance medley relay, etc). There will be prelims in events that usually do not have prelims/finals, like the 200 and 400. In 2019, there were 8,600 athletes in the meet, probably less than half of that this year. BUT, it is still the Texas Relays and Tech is taking a large contingent of athletes who qualified to compete and the qualification standards were still at a high level.
Here is a preview of Thursday's events and what to expect:
Here is a preview of Thursday's events and what to expect:
- Men's 200 prelims - Ashton O'Connor - definitely has a shot at making the finals
- Women's 200 prelims - Jadsia Warden, Amanda Crawford, and Kiah Dubarry-Gay - great field - will be tough to make the finals
- Women's 400 prelims -- Kiara Lester - this will be the first time to see the former Penn State/Big 10 champ running for Tech outdoors -- she is one of a handful of transfers who only have this 1 outdoor season to compete due to the pandemic redshirt of 2020
- Men's 400 prelims -- Chancellor Stephenson and Ryan Champlin -- Chance is running the best he has ever run at Tech and he has a shot at making the finals
- Women's 400 hurdles - Lexye Price, Sylvia Schulz, and Simone Watkins -- this race is full of D-1 and D-2 All-Americans -- if we get 1 into the finials, it will be a huge accomplishment
- Women's "A" javelin - Southern Mississippi transfer Callie Jones is first and foremost a heptathlete, but she also is a national qualifier in the javelin at SoMiss
- NOTE: The Tech coaches don't like competing in the heptathlon/decathlon at the Texas Relays, instead Tech's strong group of multis will make their debut next weekend at the Jim Click Invitational in Tucson. Decathletes -- Cole Whatley, Fynn Zenker, and Kale Mauritsen (Gary Haasbroek is still rehabbing the injury that caused him to drop out of the Big 12 indoor heptathlon while leading the competition after 6 events); and Heptathletes Kaylee Hinton (returning for a 6th year due to the pandemic outdoor redshirt last year) and Callie Jones
- Men's "A" javelin - Werner Bouwer -- Werner had a throw last week that would have been his PR that he barely scratched by falling over the boundary. This field includes 2 pros who are the current world leaders in the javelin, but Werner should still have a PR throw that puts him into serious national contention at the NCAA level
- Women's "B" javelin - Maria Sotomayor -- a transfer from NM Highlands who shows some potential
- Men's "B" 1500 -- Owen Likins - I really like this kid, who got an indoor All-American in his first year at Tech, probably the best American HS distance runner that Tech has signed in a decade or more
- Jerry Thomspon Mile -- Paul Sherrill -- another indoor All-American as a freshman -- probably the 2nd-best American HS distance runner Tech has signed in a decade or more. The addition of Owen Likins and Paul Sherrill will have a highly positive impact on Tech distance running for the next few years.
