After Ohio State traveled to Athens for the All-Ohio Championships last week, the Bobcats will return the favor Friday and Saturday as they take part in the renowned Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus.
Coming from the meet with teams from Ohio only, the Bobcats now make the transition to a more competitive meet, with 35 teams — including Michigan State, Cincinnati and Illinois — lining up at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
“All-Ohio is strictly Division I, Division II and NAIA teams only,” Ohio coach Clay Calkins said. “The Jesse Owens invites are based on performances only. You can be anywhere in the country and be invited.”
The different invitation system has severe consequences for Ohio. According to the official heat sheet, only 18 out of 48 Bobcats listed on the roster have qualified for the meet.
“If you don’t make the meet I hope they are self-motivated enough to get out and get the work done,” Calkins said. “Hopefully they take it as a motivation to work harder and qualify in the following year.”
Though the number of athletes is small compared to any other meet competed in this season, Calkins sees some advantages in such an event.
“A lot of performances will be better than at the All-Ohio Championships,” he said. “Because you just get the best talent in from the country.”
This might be the chance for Melissa Thompson, a junior, to improve her personal best in the 1,500-meter after she had missed the mark by two seconds this past weekend when running a 4:34.67 minutes. At the Jesse Owens Classic, she will join the likes of Illinois’ Stephanie Morgan, who has a personal best of 4:15.90 minutes.
Also trying to better their personal bests will be Ashley Waddington in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and Morgan Reichert, a sophomore, together with Kayla Scott, a freshman, in the 5,000-meter.
“We haven’t decided yet (whether Juli Accurso will join them),” Calkins said. The junior won the 10,000-meter this past weekend.
Sophomore Janice Rose will compete in the hammer throw and shot put, as well as senior Alexis Geiger, who will take on the long jump.
“This time of the year is critical,” Calkins said. “We’re three weeks away from the Mid-American Conference Championships. We’re hoping for big things to happen this weekend.”
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