ABILENE – Abilene Christian's nationally ranked track and field teams visit their first prestigious meet of the 2013 outdoor season this week when they travel to Austin and Mike A. Myers Stadium for the 86th running of the
Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.
The Wildcats will be represented on the men's side by sprinter Johnathan Farquharson, distance runner Xavier King, thrower Baptiste Kerjean and the 4x400-meter relay of Osei Allyene-Forte, Jordan Geary, Darian Hogg, and Banjo Jaiyesimi. Farquharson is listed as an alternate on this relay, which last season placed third overall with a season-best time of 3:10.42.
Kerjean – who is currently ranked second this season in the hammer (202-05) – also had a great showing at last year's meet, placing third with a top throw of 207 feet-5 inches (63.22m).
ACU's women's contingent will be comprised of triple jumper Amanda Ouedraogo, mid-distance runner Chloe Susset, throwers Tara Riley and Ameilia Mitchell and the 4x400 relay of Karolyn Palmer, Ayesha Rumble, Shennae Steele and Lexus Williams.
Ouedraogo finished fifth at last year's Texas Relays with a season-best triple jump of 43 feet-3.25 inches (13.19 meters). The all-America has yet to compete this outdoor season, but is the defending Lone Star Conference champion (43-00.50) and was the runner-up at indoor nationals (41-09.25).
Rumble begins the week ranked eighth among all D-II student-athletes in the 800m (2:13.89), while Williams is 16th in the 100 hurdles (14.32) and Mitchell is 16th in the javelin (134-11).
Wildcats not going to the Texas Relays will instead head to San Marcos and the campus of Texas State University for the
Bobcat Invitational. Events begin Thursday at 11 a.m. with decathlon's 100-meter dash and conclude Friday at 5 p.m. with the 4x400-meter relay.
Rumble, Jaiyesimi and Susset all won their respective events at last year's Bobcat Invitational.
Susset won the 1,500-meter run in 4:33.33, which was an 11-second personal best.
Jaiyesimi and Rumble were each victorious in the 800 as both registered outdoor provisional times. Jaiyesimi clocked a personal record of 1:50.46, while Rumble completed her race in 2:13.63.
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ACU's Texas Relays Entries (Men)
Jonathan Farquharson –100-meter dash
Xavier King – 5,000-meter run
Baptiste Kerjean – Hammer throw
Osei Allyene-Forte, Jordan Geary, Darian Hogg, and Banjo Jaiyesimi (alternate Jonathan Farquharson) – 4x400-meter relay (college division)
Women
Chloe Susset –1,500-meter run
Amanda Ouedraogo – Triple Jump
Tara Riley – Discus
Ameilia Mitchell – Javelin
Karolyn Palmer, Ayesha Rumble, Shennae Steele and Lexus Williams – 4x400-meter relay (college division)
