May 15, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio track and field team will begin competition at the 2008 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday at Bowling Green's Whittaker Track Complex.

The MAC Championships begin on Thursday with the women's hammer throw at 10 a.m. Ohio's Emily Amendola (Beach City, Ohio) set a new program record in the hammer last weekend at the Ohio Open with a throw of 180 feet, seven inches. The mark is currently the fourth best in the conference this season.

Thursday will also feature, on the women's side, the heptathlon, pole vault, javelin and 10,000 meters. Jessie Tanner (Newark, Ohio) currently holds the fourth best javelin mark in the MAC this season, with a throw of 138 feet, 11 inches last weekend at the Ohio Open. Andrea Maas (Cincinnati, Ohio) holds the ninth fastest conference time in the 10,000 meters with teammate Rachel Beakas (Waterville, Ohio) just behind her with the 12th best time in the MAC. Christen Bosch's (Rockbridge, Ohio) leap in the pole vault at the All-Ohio Championships of 11 feet, 7.75 inches is currently 13th best in the MAC in 2008.

The schedule for events on Friday begins at 9:30 a.m., with the continuation of the women's heptathlon. Field events set for the second day of the MAC Championships are the long jump and shot put, each starting at noon. Bahiyjaui Allen (Sylvania, Ohio) broke her own Ohio's all-time record in the shot put earlier this season with a throw of 50 feet even at the Hillsdale Relays in Hillsdale, Mich. That throw was third best this season in the conference.

On the track on Friday, the preliminary heats for the 1,500 meters, 100 hurdles, 400 meters, 100 meter dash, 800 meters, 400 meter hurdles, 200 meters and the steeplechase will all run in the that order with the 1,500 meters at noon and the steeplechase at 4:40 p.m.

On Saturday, the final day of the MAC Championships, the discus and high jump will kick things off at 10:30 a.m. Allen also holds the Bobcats best mark in the discus this season, with a throw of 160 feet, three inches at the Hillsdale Relays. That throw was fourth best in the MAC this season. The triple jump will be the final field event of the championships, starting at 1:30 p.m.

The finals for all of Friday's prelims will run on Saturday in addition to both the 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter relays.

Live results of the three-day meets events can be viewed at Bowling Green's athletics Web site, or CLICK HERE for the tournament central page. The page can also be accessed by clicking on the MAC Outdoor Championships Logo on the main track and field page at www.ohiobobcats.com.

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Joe Waltasti is the track and field contact in the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at waltasti@ohio.edu