ASU track and field is expected to compete at full heath in its final home meet of the season.
Seniors Jamol James, Reggie Lewis and junior LaTroya Franklin are all expected to return for the tournament beginning on Friday.
Franklin, who has missed the first two meets of the outdoor season due to a hamstring injury, said she thinks the returning athletes will make a difference for the team.
“I can be out there helping them a lot because I'm a big factor to both relays,” Franklin said. "So just seeing them out there without me didn't make me feel bad, but just made me want to work harder and get back healthy so I can be out there with them."
Her absence has exposed the lack of depth on the women's team. Injuries have the potential to linger around an athlete even when they think they’re hundred percent healthy, and ASU head coach Greg Kraft has sat some runners out for a couple meets to ensure they're at full strength. Despite this, the thought of being injured again and holding herself back hasn’t crossed Franklin’s mind as she looks to sprint in the 400-meter race at Sun Angel Classic.
Check out photos from ASU track and field's first home weekend:
“I try not to think about it as much,” Franklin said. "I'm healthy now so I'm just gonna tell myself that I'm gonna be healthy for the rest of the season."
However, with her missed time, freshman Sierra Irvin has gotten the opportunity to compete in more competitive heats. She said she’s excited to have her teammates out there competing with her.
“(Franklin's) gonna be a big factor in the 4-by-4 especially and in open events,” Irvin said. "So I think that'll be a big step up for us in that race, and i think that we'll do really well."
With the return of Franklin, James and Lewis, Kraft thinks the teams will improve — especially the men's.
“We expect our 4-by-1 to come out and be significant and then our 4 by 4, having Brandon Hasson and Jeremy Wright back on the 4-by-4, we expect to dip down and our pursuit for regional qualifying mark in the 4-by-4.” Kraft said.
With these athletes all coming back to compete toward the most important part of the outdoor season, ASU might start catching fire at the right time to make a move for the Pac-12 conference championship.
Related links:
Jenna Maack, Adriana Olivias come up short in Stanford Invitational
ASU track and field men finish third, women place fifth in Big-10 vs. Pac-12 Invitational
Reach the reporter at osoussi@asu.edu or follow @omarksoussi on Twitter.
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