The ASU track and field squad will be competing in its final home meet this weekend in Tempe. The event, named the “Duel in the Desert,” is a matchup between ASU and Pac-12 rival Arizona. This is the last meet for the Sun Devils before the Pac-12 Championships these next two weeks.
The action begins on Friday with a few of the throwing events. Two of the more notable names that will appear Friday are freshman Maggie Ewen and senior Alex Hartig. Ewen and Hartig own the No. 10 and No. 9 throws in school history in the women’s discus. They will be throwing alongside junior Ginger Jarchow at 4 p.m. PT (all times PT).
The men’s discus will take place right after the women’s discus on Friday featuring redshirt senior Michael Ohakwe, who set the No. 8 mark in school history earlier this year in the discus at the Mesa Classic. Ohakwe will be trying to outdo his best mark of 57.35 meters (188 feet, 2 inches) this weekend.
The men and women’s pole vault also takes place on Friday. The most successful member of the Sun Devil pole vault team has been junior Nicole Kennedy. Kennedy set the No. 8 mark in school history in the women’s pole vault back in March at the Pac-12 vs. Big Ten Invitational. She takes the field at 3 p.m.
Saturday is the big day for ASU, beginning with the completion of the throwing events. Bright and early at 9:15 a.m., Ewen and Jarchow join senior Jessika Byrd and sophomore Ashley Weber in the women’s hammer throw. The men’s hammer throw takes place following the women’s and then comes the men and women’s javelin events starting at 10:30 a.m.
The non-throwing field events begin at 11 a.m. with the men and women’s long jump. Freshman Kendra Purifoye will start the next round of events at noon with the high jump events. While Purifoye is the only Sun Devil woman competing in the high jump, the men’s high jump features seniors Edmond Baker and Bryan McBride.
McBride is just a week removed from tying the school high jump record of 2.29 (7 feet, 6 inches) at the Drake Relays in Des Moines. McBride was up against two of the three medalists in the high jump at the 2012 London Olympic Games and he beat one of them, finishing second. The first place finisher, Derek Drouin, won bronze at the Olympics.
The shot put events are the final throwing events of the meet for the Sun Devils take place at 12:15 p.m. and are followed by the men’s and women’s triple jump at 12:30 p.m.
The track events start at 11:25 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. with the men’s and women’s 3000 steeplechase races. After the two 4x100 relay teams go, the women’s 1500 race begins at 11:59 a.m. with senior Shelby Houlihan set to start. Houlihan owns the school record in the event and won the national championship in the race last year
At 12:12 p.m., senior Cameron Taylor is set to compete in the men’s 110 hurdles. Taylor owns the No. 6 time in school history and was an All-American in the indoor version of the race earlier this year.
Another race to watch out for is the women’s 400 dash featuring Brianna Tate. Tate has the No. 8 time in ASU history and has steadily been improving as the season rolls along. She will take to the course at 12:23 p.m.
Reach the reporter at tjwilkin@asu.edu or follow @Twilkins23 on Twitter.
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