Jumpers qualify for World Championships

FAYETTEVILLE – Tarik Batchelor and Raymond Higgs, members of the University of Arkansas men’s track and field team, won their respective national titles in the long jump this past weekend and will go on to represent their countries at the 2011 World Championships later this summer. In other Razorback results, LaShawn Butler was in action in the 200 meters at the USA Track and Field Championships.

Competing at the Jamaican Championships in Kingston, Batchelor won the long jump competition with a day’s best mark of 26-9.75, the second-best jump of his career. He’s now been over 26 feet three times this season, including his lifetime best of 26-10.5 back in May at the SEC Championships.

Higgs secured his spot to the world event with a victory in the long jump at the Bahamas’ national meet. The soon-to-be sophomore outdistanced the field with a jump of 25-7.25. He enters the remainder of the summer schedule with a season-best mark of 26-9, his third-place jump from the SEC Championships.

In Eugene, Ore., Butler finished 13th overall in the semifinal round of the 200 meters. The 2011 Razorback senior crossed in a time of 20.64 but did not advance to Sunday afternoon’s final in the event. Butler ran a personal-best time of 20.52 in his opening-round heat of the event Saturday.

Both Batchelor and Higgs have reached the ‘B’ standard in the long jump. The summer season will be capped by the 2011 World Track and Field Championships, which will be contested Aug. 27-Sept. 4 in Daegu, South Korea. For more information and continued coverage throughout the summer months, log on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

USA Championships200m (semifinal)13. LaShawn Butler – 20.64

Bahamas ChampionshipsLong Jump1. Raymond Higgs – 7.80m/25-7.25

Jamaica ChampionshipsLong Jump1. Tarik Batchelor – 8.17m/26-9.75