Michigan
B1G Husker Invitational
Owens Wins Michigan Decathlon Debut at Texas
4/17/2021 9:40:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
Site: Prairie View, Texas (Prairie View A&M Track & Field Stadium)
Event: B1G Husker Invitational (Day 2 of 2)
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., April 23-24 -- at B1G Illinois Relays (Champaign, Ill.)
• Complete Results (PDF)
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Led by victorious decathlete Ayden Owens, first-year outdoor competitors for the University of Michigan men's track and field team set the tone for the Wolverines on the final day of competition at the B1G Husker Invitational hosted by Nebraska on a neutral site at Prairie View A&M.
Owens debuted in the decathlon at the No. 3 position on the all-time U-M list, while shot putter John Meyer, sprinter Dubem Amene and hurdler Josh Zeller all finished top-five on the day and checked in on the all-time top-10 lists in their respective events.
The total for Owens was 7,732 points over the course of 10 events in two days, all but assuring him a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
Facing difficult wind conditions, Owens ran 14.23 seconds (+5.8m/s) for the fastest time in the 110-meter hurdles to open the second and final day of the decathlon. Though he was a half second off his personal best in the event, it is challenging to run the hurdles with such a significant tailwind as 13 mph. Teammate Heath Baldwin, managed to get a personal-best 14.33 seconds (+4.8m/s) in another section, as did Mason Mahacek at 15.97 (+5.8m/s).
Owens maintained his lead in the discus with a heave of 38.56m (126 feet, 6 inches), but fell to second overall when he cleared a 4.20m (13-9.25) bar in the pole vault. Mahacek was the top vaulter with a make at 4.80m (15-9).
Owens launched a career-best 53.16m (174-5) best, but it was Baldwin who stole the show in that particular event with a 59.68m (195-9) rocket. The mark moved him to No. 6 on the all-time U-M list in the event, just behind current Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics Warde Manuel.
Trailing entering the final event, Owens did enough to reclaim the lead and clinch the win when he ran 4:38.63 in the 1,500-meter finale.
Baldwin and Mahacek posted impressive scores in their overall decathlon debuts as well, totaling 7,261 for eighth and 6,849 points for 10th, respectively. Those scores slot them in at Nos. 6 and 9 in school history.
Meyer joined the 19-meter club outdoors -- the fourth-ever Michigan man to do so -- as he tossed a 19.11m (62-8.25) mark on his final attempt to move into second place in the competition and likely into the top-20 nationally. His final throw displaced teammate Andrew Liskowitz to third, with his second-round 18.97m (62-2.75) heave that was his only legal attempt of the day.
Zeller ran one of the fastest 110-meter hurdles races in school history, sprinting over all 10 barriers in a slightly wind-aided 13.72 seconds (+2.2m/s). His is the fastest time by a Wolverine since Jeff Porter clocked 13.57 at the 2007 NCAA Championships.
The time should be well clear of the threshold to qualify for the NCAA East Prelims next month. The top 32 in each event in the East Region qualify for the East Prelims, which serve as the opening rounds for the NCAA Championships to be held in Eugene, Ore., in June.
Amene also made his way into the record books, finishing runner-up at 400 meters in 46.62 -- a career-best by 1.61 seconds -- to move all the way up to No. 7 in U-M outdoor history. He may yet need to go faster still to advance to the NCAA East Prelims, with the 32nd qualifier the past two outdoor campaigns averaging 46.64 seconds.
Austin Lin ran a career-best 48.14 seconds for 10th behind him, and relay All-American Desmond Melson ran his best race of the year in 48.77 for 17th in the deep event. The three of them combined with Roland Amarteifio to finish fourth in the 4x400 relay.
Also notching a top-five finish was Max Wagner in the high jump, with a 2.04m (6-8.25) clearance for fifth.
The Wolverines will next compete Friday and Saturday (April 23-24) at the B1G Illinois Relays.
Full Michigan Results by Event
Q = automatic qualifier to final; q = at-large qualifier to final
100 meter dash
Prelims
18. Noah Stallworth / 11.03 (-0.9m/s) [New PR]
29. Bera Ajala / 11.39 (-1.9m/s)
200 meter dash
Final
31. Noah Stallworth / 22.28 (+3.3m/s)
43. Job Mayhue / 23.35 (+2.8m/s)
400 meter dash
Final
2. Dubem Amene / 46.62 [New PR]
10. Austin Lin / 48.14 [New PR]
17. Desmond Melson / 48.77
37. Leo Gabaron / 50.35
110 meter hurdles
Final
4. Josh Zeller / 13.72 (+2.2m/s) [New PR]
Prelims
5. Josh Zeller / 14.10 (-1.6m/s)q
9. Job Mayhue / 14.37 (-1.4m/s)
10. Roland Amarteifio / 14.42 (-1.6m/s)
400 meter hurdles
Final
5. Roland Amarteifio / 52.63
19. Leo Gabaron / 56.17
4x100 relay
Final
9. Chuparkoff, Amene, Zeller, Amarteifio / 41.65
4x400 relay
Final
4. Melson, Lin, Amarteifio, Amene / 3:12.93
High Jump
Final
5. Max Wagner / 2.04m (6-8.25)
10. Cassidy Henshaw / 1.99m (6-6.25)
Pole Vault
Final
12. Henry Sheldon / 4.79m (15-8.5)
Long Jump
Final
9. Cassidy Henshaw / 6.88m (22-6.75) ()
Shot Put
Final
2. John Meyer / 19.11m (62-8.25) [New PR]
3. Andrew Liskowitz / 18.97m (62-2.75)
Discus
Final
6. Andrew Liskowitz / 50.24m (164-10)
19. John Meyer / 45.02m (147-8)
Decathlon
Final
1. Ayden Owens / 7,732 points
100 meter dash / 10.56 (+0.2m/s) (961 pts) / Place: 1
Long Jump / 7.23m (23-8.75) (+0.4m/s) (869 pts) / Place: 4
Shot Put / 13.62m (44-8.25) (705 pts) [New PR] / Place: 5
High Jump / 1.88m (6-2) (696 pts) / Place: 4
400 meter dash / 47.69 (924 pts) / Place: 1
110 meter hurdles / 14.23 (+5.8m/s) (945 pts) / Place: 1
Discus / 38.56m (126-6) ( pts) / Place: 6
Pole Vault / 4.20m (13-9.25) (673 pts) / Place: 10
Javelin / 53.16m (174-5) (635 pts) [New PR] / Place: 7
1500 meter run / 4:38.63 (689 pts) / Place: 1
8. Heath Baldwin / 7,261 points
100 meter dash / 11.56 (+0.0m/s) (740 pts) / Place: 13
Long Jump / 6.66m (21-10.25) (+0.5m/s) (734 pts) / Place: 11
Shot Put / 14.20m (46-7) (741 pts) / Place: 3
High Jump / 2.00m (6-6.75) (803 pts) / Place: 1
400 meter dash / 51.51 (746 pts) / Place: 11
110 meter hurdles / 14.33 (+4.8m/s) (932 pts) [New PR] / Place: 2
Discus / 30.03m (98-6) ( pts) / Place: 16
Pole Vault / 4.50m (14-9.25) (760 pts) [New PR] / Place: 6
Javelin / 59.68m (195-9) (733 pts) / Place: 3
1500 meter run / 4:51.93 (607 pts) / Place: 6
10. Mason Mahacek / 6,849 points
100 meter dash / 11.22 (+0.9m/s) (806 pts) / Place: 8
Long Jump / 6.77m (22-2.5) (+0.8m/s) (760 pts) / Place: 9
Shot Put / 11.17m (36-7.75) (556 pts) / Place: 16
High Jump / 1.91m (6-3.25) (723 pts) / Place: 3
400 meter dash / 49.91 (819 pts) / Place: 5
110 meter hurdles / 15.97 (+5.8m/s) (736 pts) [New PR] / Place: 13
Discus / 33.32m (109-4) ( pts) / Place: 12
Pole Vault / 4.80m (15-9) (849 pts) [New PR] / Place: 1
Javelin / 36.23m (118-10) (388 pts) / Place: 12
1500 meter run / 4:40.68 (676 pts) / Place: 2
Players Mentioned
