Michigan
B1G Indiana Invitational #1
Amarteifio, Ajala Kick Off Outdoor Season with Wins
3/27/2021 6:53:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Billy Hayes Track & Field Complex)
Event: B1G Indiana Invitational #1
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., April 2-3 -- at B1G North Florida Invitational (Jacksonville, Fla.), TBA
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The University of Michigan men's track and field team scored individual wins from both its most veteran track athlete and its freshest newcomer as it opened the 2021 outdoor campaign at the B1G Indiana Invitational #1 on Friday and Saturday (March 26-27) at the Billy Hayes Track & Field Complex.
Captain Roland Amarteifio got the win in his signature 400-meter hurdles event in the Wolverines' first outdoor competition in 658 days, while mid-year enrollee Bera Ajala captured the triple jump title in his first-ever competition in a Michigan uniform.
Amarteifio won the 400-meter hurdles in 52.31 seconds in his first race in the maize and blue since the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Though he had a couple years of rust in the event to shake off, this was the second-fastest time he has ever run in the month of March.
Amarteifio was back for the meet-finale 4x400 relay, combining with Austin Lin, Dubem Amene and Vail Hartman to finish runner-up in 3:11.93.
Ajala made the most of his debut with a 15.04m (49 feet, 4.25 inches; +3.8m/s) leap, winning by nearly a half-meter. His jump was enough to start his Michigan career at No. 10 all-time on the school's outdoor list.
Fellow United Kingdom national Josh Zeller opened his season in the flat 100 meters, clocking 10.99 seconds (+1.1m/s) in anticipation of his first 110-meter hurdles race later this season since winning the 2019 European U20 Championships.
Michigan will next travel to Jacksonville, Fla., on next Friday and Saturday (April 2-3) for the B1G North Florida Invitational, where more Wolverines will make their 2021 spring debuts.
Full Michigan Results by Event
Q = automatic qualifier to final; q = at-large qualifier to final
100 meter dash
Final
6. Josh Zeller / 10.99 (+1.1m/s)
200 meter dash
Final
12. Dubem Amene / 21.73 (+3.6m/s)
15. Austin Lin / 22.12 (+1.6m/s)
23. Desmond Melson / 22.63 (+1.6m/s)
110 meter hurdles
Final
10. Heath Baldwin / 14.61 (+3.2m/s)
400 meter hurdles
Final
1. Roland Amarteifio / 52.31
9. Leo Gabaron / 55.20
4x100 meter relay
Final
--. Christopher Chuparkoff, Dubem Amene, Josh Zeller, Roland Amarteifio / DNF
4x400 meter relay
Final
2. Roland Amarteifio, Dubem Amene, Austin Lin, Vail Hartman / 3:11.93
Pole Vault
Final
8. Henry Sheldon / 4.85m (15-11)
11. Heath Baldwin / 4.45m (14-7.25)
11. Mason Mahacek / 4.45m (14-7.25)
Triple Jump
Final
1. Bera Ajala / 15.04m (49-4.25) (+3.8m/s)
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Players Mentioned
