Arkansas grinds out final day in cold weather at John McDonnell Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE — Competing in less than ideal weather, Arkansas overcame the sub-50 degree weather to use the final day of the John McDonnell Invitational to post multiple season-best marks.

“I think mother nature held us hostage with inclement weather,” said coach Lance Harter. “The women competed really well.

“Unfortunately, Friday the winds were so extreme that the marks, despite being phenomenal, won’t count because of the wind readings. But the competitive effort was there and the consistency factor of running quality efforts is going to pay dividends as the season progresses.

“Not all the meets that we’ve yet to conquer, all the way to the NCAA’s, are going to be ideal [weather]. I think they made the best of it.

“Today we had some good breakthroughs, we got good solid marks in the 1,500-meters considering the wind-chill factor was 24 degrees. I think the women made the best of it considering the circumstances were not in our favor as far as weather goes,” said Harter.

In the women’s 400-meters, Morgan Burks-Magee ran 54.39 for third-place trailing only Chrishuna Williams of Nike (53.63) and the event winner Daina Harper (52.51) — both former Razorbacks.

Sydney Davis took fourth in the same race with her time of 55.42.

Carina Viljoen recorded a season-best in the 800-meters with her runner-up time of 2:08.84. Emily Jeacock finished 10^th running 2:19.22.

The 1,500-meters featured five Razorbacks in the top-10 led by Devin Clark’s third-place time of 4:24.24.

After Clark across the line were teammates Regan Hime (4:31.31), Ruth Wiggins (4:32.07), Micah Huckabee (4:35.62), Rachel Nichwitz (4:38.13), Kailee Sawyer (4:39.30), Abby Gray (4:41.57), Alex Ritchey (4:44.02), Greta Taylor (4:49.33), and Payton Brown (4:55.62) in fifth, sixth, ninth, 10th, 11th, 17th, 22nd, 26th, and 34th-place.

Carmen Sitz tied a season-best clearance in the high jump as she soared over 1.65m (5’-5”).

Saturday Results
John McDonnell Invitational

400-meters
3. M. Burks-Magee – 54.39
4. S. Davis – 55.42

800-meters
2. C. Viljoen – 2:08.84
10. E. Jeacock – 2:19.22

1,500-meters
3. D. Clark – 4:24.24
5. R. Hime – 4:31.31
6. R. Wiggins – 4:32.07
9. M. Huckabee – 4:35.62
10. R. Nichwitz – 4:38.13
11. K. Sawyer – 4:39.30
17. A. Gray – 4:41.57
22. A. Ritchey – 4:44.02
26. G. Taylor – 4:49.33
34. P. Brown – 4:55.62

High Jump
5. C. Sitz – 1.65m (5′-5″)