Gauntlett qualifies for Jamaica final at 400m

EUGENE, Ore. – Capping a busy day of competition for the Razorbacks, senior-to-be Akheem Gauntlett qualified for the event final at 400 meters at the Jamaica Championships. At the 2012 USA Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., former Razorback Wallace Spearmon, Jr., advanced to the final of the 200 meters. Both finals will be run Sunday with spots up for grabs to the Summer Olympic Games in London.

Having qualified as the sixth-overall runner in Thursday’s opening round of the event, Gauntlett finished second in heat one and fifth overall with a time of 45.35. He collected one of the two automatic spots into the championship race. Based on the semifinal times, the eight-man field in the final is separated by just .55 seconds. The final will be run Sunday evening.

In the semifinal round of the 200 meters at Hayward Field, Spearmon eased through the finish line to win in a time of 20.59. He finished the heats as the seventh-fastest qualifier for the final. The event final of the 200 meters is scheduled to be run at 6:50 p.m. (CT).

Last weekend at the Bahamas Championships, Raymond Higgs won the national title in the long jump with a best mark of 7.86m/25-9.5. He already owns the Olympic ‘B’ standard and as the champion of his country, is set to represent the Bahamas at the Summer Games in London. In other international action, Marek Niit advanced to the semifinal round of the 200 meters at the European Championships but did not qualify for the finals. He had an opening-round time of 20.93.

Former Razorback Nkosinza Balumbu was also in action Saturday in Eugene and finished sixth in the triple jump final. His best measure of 16.39m/53-9.25 came on his third attempt of the day and moved him from eighth to sixth place.

Competition at the 2012 USA Olympic Trials concludes Sunday and will feature Spearmon in the event final of the 200 meters. The meet will be televised by NBC at 6 p.m. (CT). For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

Results
200 Meters (first round, June 29 – European Championships)
14. Marek Niit – 20.93Q

200 Meters (semifinals – European Championships)
21. Marek Niit – 21.44

400 Meters (semifinals – Jamaican Championships)
5. Akheem Gauntlett – 45.35Q

Long Jump (final, June 23 – Bahamas Championships)
1. Raymond Higgs – 7.86m/25-9.5

Former Razorbacks
200 Meters (semifinals)
7. Wallace Spearmon, Jr. – 20.59Q
19. LaShawn Butler – 21.39

Triple Jump (final)
6. Nkosinza Balumbu – 16.39m/53-9.25