Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
T&F Preview: Men's Sprints and Hurdles
01/02/18 | Track and Field
Previewing the Oregon track and field program by event groups entering the start of the 2018 indoor season (Jan. 13)
Head coach Robert Johnson: "This is a young and talented group that will be fun to watch develop. Damarcus Simpson, Braxton Canady, Julius Shellmire and Cameron Stone have done a great job leading this group, and we add some really exciting transfers and freshmen who Duck fans will enjoy getting to know. Most importantly, this is a quality group of guys that will represent the Men of Oregon well."
MEN'S SHORT SPRINTS (60m, 100m, 200m, 4x100 Relay)
Who's back: There will be a new top performer for the Men of Oregon in the short sprints after a great one-year stint by Kyree King, the 2017 Pac-12 champion in both the 100 and 200 meters. Senior Damarcus Simpson (below), the defending Pac-12 champion in the long jump, will be important for the Ducks in the sprints as well after earning all-American honors in both the 100 meters and the 4x100 relay last season. Simpson also joined King on the podium at the Pac-12 Championships after finishing as the runner-up in the 100 meters. Junior Julius Shellmire joins Simpson as returners from the Ducks' school record-setting 4x100 relay team, and the Oregon native will look to step up for the Ducks in the short sprints as well.
Tony Brooks-James and Charles Nelson, both standouts on the UO football team, remain on the Ducks' track and field roster despite missing the 2017 season, and would provide a boost to UO's short sprints and 4x100 relay should they decide to return to the track.
Who's new: There are quite a few new faces here for the UO men, who welcome a pair of transfers and a trio of freshmen. Cravon Gillespie (below) could prove to be a big addition for the Ducks out of Mt. SAC, where he thrived in the 100 and 200 meters as well as the 4x100. Gillespie's current wind-legal personal-bests of 20.20 in the 200 and 10.21 in the 100 would slot in first and fourth, respectively, in Oregon outdoor history. Another transfer, Rashad Swank-Jones, joins the Ducks out of Lane Community College, where he won 2016 NWAC titles in the 100 and 200 meters as well as the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Rocky Rainey is a well-regarded freshman out of League City, Texas, who finished third in the 200 meters and fourth in the 100 meters at the 2017 Texas 6A State Championships. Fellow rookie and Boring, Ore., native Rieker Daniel was the 2017 Oregon 6A State champion in the 200 meters and the runner-up in the 100 meters. Myles Webb is another talented freshman, joining the Ducks after helping Oaks Christian High School to a 2017 California state title in the 4x100 relay while also placing fourth in the 200 and seventh in the 100. Spenser Schmidt, a transfer out of Portland State in the long jump, could also compete for the Ducks in the short sprints.
MEN'S LONG SPRINTS (400m, 4x400 Relay)
Who's back: No longer around is Marcus Chambers, a seven-time all-American and a clear leader for the Ducks the last four seasons. Junior Cameron Stone (below) will be counted on to help fill that leadership role while looking to step up in the 400 and the 4x400 relay. Sophomore Jonathan Harvey, primarily a hurdler, also has experience in the 400 and the relays for Oregon. Redshirt junior Chin Ng adds depth for the Ducks in his second season.
Who's new: Oregon adds Orwin Emilien to its long sprints group, a talented junior transfer out of Western Texas College. A Republic of Mauritius native, Emilien was a three-time NJCAA all-American, finishing fourth in the 400 meters at the 2017 NJCAA Outdoor Championships and second in the 600 meters at the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
MEN'S HURDLES (60H, 110H, 400H)
Who's back: Sophomore Braxton Canady leads the men's hurdles group into the season after impressing last year as a freshman. The Jacksonville, Fla., native tied for the nation's tenth-best time in 60-meter hurdles (7.74) to reach the NCAA Indoor Championships, and he placed second at the Pac-12 Championships in the 110-meter hurdles. The only other returning hurdler behind Canady is Harvey, a sophomore out of Tracy, Calif., who is looking to make a name for himself in the 400-meter hurdles with a full collegiate season now under his belt.
Who's new: The Men of Oregon add an exciting young talent to their hurdling group in highly-touted freshman Joseph Anderson (below). Coming to Oregon from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Anderson won the bronze medal for Team USA in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2017 Pan American Championships in Peru after placing second at the U.S. Junior Championships. Anderson was a two-time California state champion in the 110-meter hurdles, winning the 2017 championship in 13.33 to break former Duck great Johnathan Cabral's state record and set the second fastest time in the nation in 2017. Anderson also won the state title in the 300-meter hurdles as a senior and should be a dynamic addition to the Ducks' roster.
2018 Oregon Track and Field Previews
Jan. 2 - Men's Sprints and Hurdles
Jan. 3 - Men's Jumps and Combined Events
Jan. 4 - Men's Throws
Jan. 5 - Men's Distance
Jan. 6 - Women's Sprints and Hurdles
Jan. 7 - Women's Jumps and Combined Events
Jan. 8 - Women's Throws
Jan. 9 - Women's Distance
Head coach Robert Johnson: "This is a young and talented group that will be fun to watch develop. Damarcus Simpson, Braxton Canady, Julius Shellmire and Cameron Stone have done a great job leading this group, and we add some really exciting transfers and freshmen who Duck fans will enjoy getting to know. Most importantly, this is a quality group of guys that will represent the Men of Oregon well."
MEN'S SHORT SPRINTS (60m, 100m, 200m, 4x100 Relay)
Who's back: There will be a new top performer for the Men of Oregon in the short sprints after a great one-year stint by Kyree King, the 2017 Pac-12 champion in both the 100 and 200 meters. Senior Damarcus Simpson (below), the defending Pac-12 champion in the long jump, will be important for the Ducks in the sprints as well after earning all-American honors in both the 100 meters and the 4x100 relay last season. Simpson also joined King on the podium at the Pac-12 Championships after finishing as the runner-up in the 100 meters. Junior Julius Shellmire joins Simpson as returners from the Ducks' school record-setting 4x100 relay team, and the Oregon native will look to step up for the Ducks in the short sprints as well.
Tony Brooks-James and Charles Nelson, both standouts on the UO football team, remain on the Ducks' track and field roster despite missing the 2017 season, and would provide a boost to UO's short sprints and 4x100 relay should they decide to return to the track.
Who's new: There are quite a few new faces here for the UO men, who welcome a pair of transfers and a trio of freshmen. Cravon Gillespie (below) could prove to be a big addition for the Ducks out of Mt. SAC, where he thrived in the 100 and 200 meters as well as the 4x100. Gillespie's current wind-legal personal-bests of 20.20 in the 200 and 10.21 in the 100 would slot in first and fourth, respectively, in Oregon outdoor history. Another transfer, Rashad Swank-Jones, joins the Ducks out of Lane Community College, where he won 2016 NWAC titles in the 100 and 200 meters as well as the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Rocky Rainey is a well-regarded freshman out of League City, Texas, who finished third in the 200 meters and fourth in the 100 meters at the 2017 Texas 6A State Championships. Fellow rookie and Boring, Ore., native Rieker Daniel was the 2017 Oregon 6A State champion in the 200 meters and the runner-up in the 100 meters. Myles Webb is another talented freshman, joining the Ducks after helping Oaks Christian High School to a 2017 California state title in the 4x100 relay while also placing fourth in the 200 and seventh in the 100. Spenser Schmidt, a transfer out of Portland State in the long jump, could also compete for the Ducks in the short sprints.
MEN'S LONG SPRINTS (400m, 4x400 Relay)
Who's back: No longer around is Marcus Chambers, a seven-time all-American and a clear leader for the Ducks the last four seasons. Junior Cameron Stone (below) will be counted on to help fill that leadership role while looking to step up in the 400 and the 4x400 relay. Sophomore Jonathan Harvey, primarily a hurdler, also has experience in the 400 and the relays for Oregon. Redshirt junior Chin Ng adds depth for the Ducks in his second season.
Who's new: Oregon adds Orwin Emilien to its long sprints group, a talented junior transfer out of Western Texas College. A Republic of Mauritius native, Emilien was a three-time NJCAA all-American, finishing fourth in the 400 meters at the 2017 NJCAA Outdoor Championships and second in the 600 meters at the NJCAA Indoor Championships.
MEN'S HURDLES (60H, 110H, 400H)
Who's back: Sophomore Braxton Canady leads the men's hurdles group into the season after impressing last year as a freshman. The Jacksonville, Fla., native tied for the nation's tenth-best time in 60-meter hurdles (7.74) to reach the NCAA Indoor Championships, and he placed second at the Pac-12 Championships in the 110-meter hurdles. The only other returning hurdler behind Canady is Harvey, a sophomore out of Tracy, Calif., who is looking to make a name for himself in the 400-meter hurdles with a full collegiate season now under his belt.
Who's new: The Men of Oregon add an exciting young talent to their hurdling group in highly-touted freshman Joseph Anderson (below). Coming to Oregon from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Anderson won the bronze medal for Team USA in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2017 Pan American Championships in Peru after placing second at the U.S. Junior Championships. Anderson was a two-time California state champion in the 110-meter hurdles, winning the 2017 championship in 13.33 to break former Duck great Johnathan Cabral's state record and set the second fastest time in the nation in 2017. Anderson also won the state title in the 300-meter hurdles as a senior and should be a dynamic addition to the Ducks' roster.
2018 Oregon Track and Field Previews
Jan. 2 - Men's Sprints and Hurdles
Jan. 3 - Men's Jumps and Combined Events
Jan. 4 - Men's Throws
Jan. 5 - Men's Distance
Jan. 6 - Women's Sprints and Hurdles
Jan. 7 - Women's Jumps and Combined Events
Jan. 8 - Women's Throws
Jan. 9 - Women's Distance
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