AUBURN, Ala.— The Auburn track and field team will head to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the Crimson Classic on Friday and Saturday, while a small contingent of distance runners will travel to Charlottesville, Virginia for the Virginia Challenge.
"The distance group is going up to Virginia to put some qualifying marks on the board and you have to go to events like that where people are peaked and ready to roll which I suspect we will see a couple of big PR's this weekend" Tigers head coach Leroy Burrell said. "For the group going to Tuscaloosa, we are really looking forward to performing well and mixing it up with the Tide."
After breaking the women's freshman record in the 400m hurdles last weekend at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, Abasiono Akpan will be back in the blocks this weekend at Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium. Akpan crossed the line in 56.93 to break Auburn's 20-year-old record previously held by Josanne Lucas (2003) at 57.81.
Undefeated this season, senior Madi Malone will return to the ring in the women's hammer throw. Malone secure the title last weekend in Gainesville throwing 68.15m/223-7 with four of her six throws besting the second-place finisher.
After making his collegiate debut at the FSU Relays clocking 10.32 in the 100m dash, Azeem Fahmi returns to the straight away. The Malaysia native has a personal best in the event of 10.09 set in 2022.
Tied for the national lead, senior Dontavious Hill looks to add a fourth event title in as many meets. Hill leaped to the top at the FSU Relays one month ago clearing 2.24m/7-4.25.
Senior Maura Huwalt enters the weekend ranked in the top-20 in the both the shot put (17.05m/55-11.25) and discus throw (56.34m/184-10).
"The distance group is going up to Virginia to put some qualifying marks on the board and you have to go to events like that where people are peaked and ready to roll," Burrle said. "I suspect we will see a couple of big PR's out of this group this weekend."
While in Charlottesville, Ryan Kinanne is set to race the 5,000m run after winning a tight 1500m race just a week ago. Kinanne has a personal best of 14:05.99 in the 5K set at the 2023 Texas Relays.
A solid squad of 1500m runners in junior Hallie Porterfield, sophomores Louis O'Loughlin, and freshmen Gene Coetzee, Hayden Judge, and Rex Green will line up at Lannigan Field.
Competition in Tuscaloosa will begin Friday with the women's hammer throw at 12:00 p.m. CT and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. CT with the women's discus throw.
Competition in Charlottesville will begin Friday with the men's 1500m at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Live results for the Crimson Classic can be found at flashresults.com.
Live results for the Virginia Challenge can be found at pttiming.com and live stream on ESPN.com.
