@MiamiTrack Excited for Miami Invitational
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami track and field program will host teams from across Florida in the 2014 Miami Invitational.
The Canes will compete at Cobb Stadium for the second time in as many weeks with action set to begin at 9 a.m. with the javelin. Miami hosted the Hurricane Invitational a week ago and will host the final home meet of the 2014 season, the Hurricane Alumni Invitational, on April 12.
“I think it’s huge just to be able to sleep in your own bed and have a routine and to have your families here,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “Traveling is great and we get to go to great track meets, but at the same time there’s nothing like being able to stay home and take advantage of this beautiful South Florida weather and get everything we need to get done during the week, go to class and have a very competitive Saturday competition at home.”
Indoor national qualifiers Alysha Newman and Shakima Wimbley will make their 2014 outdoor debuts this weekend. Newman is scheduled to run the 100m HH and compete in the pole vault, while Wimbley will run the 200m.
“Shakima has been working hard and I know Alysha’s been working hard,” Deem said. “Shakima and Alysha’s seasons both can be very long with the summer season, so for them to touch upon that foundation a little bit and get back to work. For Shakima, I want to train her pretty hard, and I know Coach Langley is looking to do the same with Alysha. Just getting them both ready and we want to see big things from them at the ACC Championship and moving forward from that, so the next three weeks is just getting them ready to where we need them to be come championship time.”
A week ago, Miami won 13 events to open the 2014 outdoor season with a solid performance. Among the standouts were Lea Johnson, who won the women’s weight throw with a personal-best mark of 59.22m that ranks second in school history. Luke Fontaine picked up his first career win in the men’s 5000m, while Isaiah Simmons and Gian Ragonesi placed first and second, respectively, in both the men’s shot put and discus.
“The attitude and the effort was tremendous last week,” Deem said. “I want them to take that same effort no matter where we go and that same attitude. I tell them ‘you can control two things, you can control your attitude and you can control your effort.’ You’re not always going to have your best day, but if every day you bring great attitude and give great effort to the track in the long run great things will happen to you. That’s what I’m trying to build on from last week is that effort level and keep that enthusiasm of it being outdoor track and just carry it through April.”
The Canes look forward to building off of last week’s performance as they prepare for the ACC Outdoor Championships on April 17-19 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Men’s Entries
100m: Bassim El-Sabawi, Timothy Richardson
200m: Bassim El-Sabawi,Anthony Wolliston
400m: Davin Johnson, Sean Petty, Joseph Ryan, Anthony Wolliston
800m: Douglas Dourado
1500m: Connor Adams, Douglas Dourado, JaCee Jarnagin, Kevin Marsh, Sean Pezzulo, AJ Ricketts
3000m: Connor Adams, JaCee Jarnagin, Kevin Marsh, Sean Pezzulo, AJ Ricketts
110m HH: Christian Cook, TeQuille Jackson
400m IH: Christian Cook, TeQuille Jackson, Garrett Nygren
4x400m Relay: Davin Johnson, Garrett Nygren, Sean Petty, Joseph Ryan
Long Jump: Richard Tema, Kadeem Walker
High Jump: John-Patrick Friday
Triple Jump: John-Patrick Friday, Timothy Richardson, Richard Tema
Shot Put: Gian Ragonesi, Isaiah Simmons
Discus: Gian Ragonesi, Isaiah Simmons
Hammer: Gian Ragonesi, Isaiah Simmons
Women’s Entries
100m: Jasmyne King
200m: Meridith Louisville,Alyssa McClure, Anthonia Moore, Kayann Richards, Shakima Wimbley, Shannon Wright
400m: Taneisha Cordell, Meridith Louisville, Thandi Stewart, Alaine Tate
1500m: Lindsi Arrington, Ally Finical, Julia Koch, Kelly Williamson
3000m: Ally Finical, Julia Koch, Katie Paine
100m HH: Jamika Glades, Alysha Newman, Kayann Richards, Alexis Wright
400m IH: Jamika Glades
4x400m Relay: Taneisha Cordell, Jasmyne King, Alyssa McClure, Anthonia Moore, Kayann Richards, Thandi Stewart, Alaine Tate, Shakima Wimbley, Shannon Wright
Pole Vault: Alysha Newman
Triple Jump: Alexis Wright
Shot Put: Amber Monroe
Discus: Amber Monroe
Hammer: Lea Johnson
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