Samuels Sixth at Pan American Games

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas’ J-Mee Samuels finished sixth in the finals of the 100 meters at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday night. Track and field events started Sun., July 22 and will end Sun., July 29, 2007.

Earning lane three from his performance in the semifinals, Samuels clocked a 10.33 to earn a sixth-place finish. His season-best time remains at 10.13 which was clocked in Fayetteville at the John McDonnell Invitational. Chaurandy Martina won the event with a time of 10.16.

Monday afternoon, the soon-to-be Razorback junior clocked a 10.41 in heat two of the prelims to earn automatic advancement to the semifinals with a third-place finish in his heat. Slightly more than two hours later, Samuels returned to clock a 10.31 in semifinals and finished second in his heat, also good for automatic advancement to the finals.

Samuels will start competition as a member of the 4×100-meter relay Friday night with the prelims. Finals in the event will take place Saturday night.

Samuels earned his spot on Team USA with a fifth-place finish in the 100 meters at the USA Championships in June. Team USA is coached by Stanley Redwine, current head coach at the University of Kansas. Redwine is in his seventh season at the helm of the Jayhawk track and field program. Redwine is also a former Razorback lettermen and assistant coach.

For complete details of the 15th Pan American Games, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/PanAmericanGames/.