Worlds: Hogs Ready To Establish Own Legacies

LONDON — The 2017 IAAF World Championships has been highly touted by most of the mainstream media as the final track and field competition for the seemingly unbeatable Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, but for 12 young former and current Razorbacks, it represents more of a beginning.

Commencing Friday, Aug. 4, and running through Aug. 13, the international bout will see former multi-time All-American Hogs representing five different countries match their talents against the best from around the globe in their respective events.

Arkansas Entries (12)
• Bahamas – Tamara Myers (Triple Jump)
• Jamaica – Kemoy Campbell (5,000), Omar McLeod (110mH), Kemar Mowatt (400mH) and Clive Pullen (Triple Jump)
• Slovenia – Tina Sutej (Pole Vault)
• Trinidad & Tobago – Sparkle McKnight (400mH)
• USA – Daina Harper (4-x-400m Relay), Andrew Irwin (Pole Vault), Stanley Kebenei (Steeplechase), Jarrion Lawson (Long Jump) and Sandi Morris (Pole Vault)

Date: Aug. 4-13
Venue: London Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Important Link: Meet Central (Schedule, Live Results, IAAF Radio and Athlete Stats)
Broadcast Schedule: NBC (see table below)

1-2-4
Three #ProHogs, Omar McLeod, Sandi Morris and Jarrion Lawson, head into the competition ranked among the top-four best performers in their respective specialties this season.

McLeod leads the way, a formidable fixture at the apex of the 110-meter hurdles worlds list with his personal best of 12.90 clocked in Kingston, Jamaica at the Jamaican National Senior Championships. The defending Olympic champion is the only competitor in his event to record a sub-13 second time this season.

Morris checks in with the No. 2 best clearance of 4.84m in the pole vault this season by the slightest of margins — 1 centimeter (2016 Olympic Gold medalist Ekaterini Stefanidi with 4.85m). While Morris’ seasonal best places her behind her Greek rival, her personal best of 5.00m, which exceeds Stefanidi’s by 10 centimeters is telling of what may unfold in the upcoming week.

“Tomorrow’s prelims should be pretty easy for me to get through to finals, but nothing is ever ‘in the bag,'” Morris said. “I still need to be on my game to make sure it all goes as planned. I feel strong and ready. I just know the wind most likely won’t cooperate so that will be the main thing to have to deal with. The key is to be patient on the back of the runway and wait as long as you can to start your approach until the wind dies down. We will see how it turns out! But I have a really good feeling about it.”

One of four entries with a personal best in the long jump beyond 8.50m, expectations also run high for Lawson, the 2016 Bowerman Award winner. Although he started the season injured, the dynamic jumper has shown marked improvement with each journey down the runway, most recently capturing a silver medal with a season-best mark of 8.33m at the Rabat Diamond League Meeting in Morocco.

“I felt good today in practice,” Lawson said. “I’m highly trained, so now it’s just time to get out there and have fun. I don’t mind popping it off for the Hogs. I plan to be the first to bring back some hardware.”

From January to August
Daina Harper (4-x-400), Kemar Mowatt (400mH) and Clive Pullen (Triple Jump) started their seasons eight months ago but continue to forge on in search of more success. All three have proven resilient, Pullen capturing his second-consecutive triple jump Jamaican national title this past June, while Harper and Mowatt continued to post consistent top times in their respective events well into the summer.

The lone Razorback returner for the 2018 season, Mowatt will line up next to a couple of familiar faces as Florida Gators All-Americans Eric Futch and TJ Holmes are also entered in the field, representing Team USA in the intermediate hurdles. Mowatt bested the pair in Columbia, South Carolina, capturing the Southeastern Conference crown, but was edged out by Futch in Eugene, Oregon, who claimed the top spot at the outdoor national meet.

How to Follow
NBC and its family of networks will be broadcasting and live streaming the 10-day meet. Listed below is a complete listing of Arkansas’ qualifiers schedule with all times in central time. Fans can also follow along via the IAAF Meet Central, which has live results, radio broadcasts and athlete stats available.

Arkansas Worlds Qualifiers Championships Schedule
DateTime (CT)Athlete (Country)Event (Round)ResultsWatch Live
Friday, Aug. 41:30 p.m.Jarrion Lawson (USA)Men's Long Jump (Qualifiers)6. 8.05m/26-5 QStreaming: NBC Sports Gold*
1:45 p.m. Sandi Morris (USA)Women's Pole Vault (Qualifiers)2. 4.55m/4-11 1/4 QStreaming: NBC Sports Gold*
1:45 p.m.Tina Sutej (SLO)Women's Pole Vault (Qualifiers)15. 4.35m/14-3 1/4Streaming: NBC Sports Gold*
Saturday, Aug. 55:00 a.m.Tamara Myers (BAH)Women's Triple Jump (Qualifiers)24. 13.41m/44-0NBCSN
2:05 p.m.Jarrion Lawson (USA)Men' Long Jump (Finals)%2. 8.44m/27-8 1/4NBC
Sunday, Aug. 64:05 a.m.Stanley Kebenei (USA)Men's Steeplechase (Heats)12. 8:24.19 QNBCSN
4:40 a.m.Andrew Irwin (USA)Men's Pole Vault (Qualifiers)15. 5.60m/18-4 1/2NBCSN
5:05 a.m.Kemar Mowatt (JAM)Men's 400 Meter Hurdles (Heats)22. 50.00NBCSN
7:15 a.m.Omar McLeod (JAM)Men's 110 Meter Hurdles (Heats)2. 13.23 QNBCSN
1:00 p.m.Sandi Morris (USA)Women's Pole Vault (Finals)%2. 4.75m/15-7NBC
2:10 p.m.Omar McLeod (JAM)Men's 110 Meter Hurdles (Semifinals)%1. 13.10 QNBC
Monday, Aug. 712:35 p.m.Clive Pullen (JAM)Men's Triple Jump (Qualifiers)30. 15.61m/51-2 3/4Streaming: NBC Sports Gold*
1:30 p.m.Sparkle McKnight (TT)Women's 400 Meter Hurdles (Heats)11. 55.46 QNBCSN
2:20 p.m.Kemar Mowatt (JAM)Men's 400 Meter Hurdles (Semifinals)%4. 48.66 QNBCSN
3:30 p.m.Omar McLeod (JAM)Men's 110 Meter Hurdles (Finals)%1. 13.04NBCSN
Tuesday, Aug. 82:35 p.m.Sparkle McKnight (TT)Women's 400 Meter Hurdles (Semifinals)%19. 56.59NBCSN
3:10 p.m.Stanley Kebenei (USA)Men's Steeplechase (Finals)%5. 8:21.09NBCSN
Wednesday, Aug. 92:05 p.m.Kemoy Campbell (JAM)Men's 5,000 Meters (Heats)9. 13:26.67NBCSN
3:30 p.m.Kemar Mowatt (JAM)Men's 400 Meter Hurdles (Finals)%4. 48.99NBCSN
Saturday, Aug. 124:55 a.m.Omar McLeod (JAM)Men's 4-x-100 Meter Relay (Heats)3. 37.95 QNBCSN
2:20 p.m.Kemoy Campbell (JAM)Men's 5,000 Meters (Finals)%10. 13:39.74NBC
3:50 p.m.Omar McLeod (JAM)Men's 4-x-100 Meter Relay (Finals)%DNFNBC

% – denotes an event which requires qualification | * – denotes a stream which requires paid subscription

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