Flyin' Frogs Take Gold in 4x4 at Penn Relays
4/26/2003 12:00:00 AM
April 26, 2003
The TCU men's 4x400 meter relay showed that they are the team to beat at this year's NCAA Outdoor Championships by taking the gold medal in front of a national televison audience in Philadelphia today. Their performance capped an excellent weekend for the Flyin' Frogs at the 109th running of the Penn Relays.
Running in wet and chilly conditions at venerable Franklin Field, the TCU quartet of Jason Morgan, Jerry Harris, Jackson Langat and Brandon Simpson posted a winning time of 3:05.41, becoming the second TCU squad to capture gold in the 4x4 at the Penn Relays. Harris reached the stagger break first and the Frogs never looked back, as they gained some revenge on LSU after finishing second to the Tigers at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March. On Saturday, Texas finished second in 3:06.47 and Auburn was third in 3:06.99, while LSU was a distant sixth, finishing in 3:08.11. The TCU quartet join the 2000 TCU foursome of Roy Williams, Anthony Amantine, Kendrick Campbell and Johnny L. Collins II, which won the Penn Relays gold medal with a time of 3:05.76. Saturday's performance capped off an outstanding two days for the Frogs' 4x4. The quartet of Jabari Fields, Harris, Langat and Simpson recorded the nation's fastest time this season in the prelims on Friday with a time of 3:03.65.
"It was a little colder and wetter today, which may have accounted for the slower time than on Friday," said TCU Head Coach Monte Stratton. "Jabari Fields' hamstring was a little tight, so we put a fresh Jason Morgan on the leadoff leg and he responded with a strong performance. Jerry Harris was really the difference. He had a great weekend on both relays. We had him in a 43.5 split on Friday and a 44.6 split today."
"It was wonderful," said Langat. "It was a great experience."
"We had the fastest time coming in by three seconds," added Simpson. "We had no doubt."
The men's 4x100 meter relay team of David Spencer, Jabari Fields, Jerry Harris and Jermaine Joseph took the bronze medal with a time of 39.77, finishing behind only Mississippi State (39.20) and Texas (39.35) and ahead of Conference USA rival Houston (39.84).
On the women's side, the 4x200 meter relay squad of La' Toya White, Donita Harmon, Kandis Bell and Monica Twum placed sixth with a time of 1:35.02. They had the seventh fastest prelim time on Friday.
In other action on Saturday, Nathaniel Garcia placed eighth in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 51.90 and Brandal Lawrence placed ninth in the championship bracket of the triple jump with a best leap of 14.67 meters (48-01.75).
The Frogs are not scheduled to compete again until the Conference USA Outdoor Championships, which will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, May 15-17.
TCU RESULTS:
MEN:
400m Hurdles (Finals): 8. Nathaniel Garcia 51.90 (Q).
4x100m Relay (Finals): 3. TCU (David Spencer, Jabari Fields, Jerry Harris, Jermaine Joseph) 39.77 (Q).
4x400m Relay (Finals): 1. TCU (Jason Morgan, Brandon Simpson, Jackson Langat, Jerry Harris) 3:05 (Q).
Triple Jump (Finals): 9. Brandal Lawrence 14.67m (48-01.75) (Q).
WOMEN: 4x200m Relay (Finals): 6. (La' Toya White, Donita Harmon, Kandis Bell, Monica Twum) 1:35.02.
NOTE: (Q) - NCAA Regional Qualifying Mark
Players Mentioned
